Half My Blood
by MarblesG
Summary: Your sister knows how to love you best, but also how to hurt you the most. Lin and Suyin growing up together.
1. Proper Beginnings

**Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender or Legend of Korra**

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><p>"Tiny!"<p>

Toph rolled her eyes and just smirked. "For the twentieth time, Lin, yes, she is very tiny."

The three-year old touched the thin black curls that rested on her sister's head. Toph immediately warned her.

"Be careful, you can touch her but only softly."

Lin looked up at her mother. "Hurt, Mama?"

"Yes." Toph smiled at her intelligent girl. "She is still a baby."

Lin patted the infant's head softly. "Baby sister."

"She has a name, Lin."

"Me Lin." Toph's older daughter pointed at herself.

She nodded. Toph brushed a finger gently down her new infant's face. " And she is?"

Lin smiled widely. "Suyin!"

The three Bei Fongs were currently inhabiting Toph's bed. The earthbending master sat on the right side, one foot on the ground for security, and an arm around Suyin. The eldest of the Bei Fong sisters stood on the other side of the bed with her arms reached out to touch her sister's head. The trio had just returned from Air Temple Island where Suyin had her first check up. Katara stated the general facts and declared the child a healthy four-month old. After dinner and catching up, the three ended up where they are now.

"Suyin no talk, Mama." Lin frowned at her mother.

Toph chuckled. " Su is still a baby, remember? She doesn't know how."

"When?"

"Eventually. Then you two can talk all you want. Bet that won't drive me up the wall."

At that moment, Suyin sneezed. The sudden discomfort brought new tears to the girl's eyes and it wasn't long until she let out a cry.

"Come on now. You just scared yourself." Toph picked Su up and began to rock her. Lin decided to get up on the bed completely and latch on to her mother's back to continue observing her sister.

Lin patted the fine hairs once more. "All okay. Just achoo!"

Suyin looked up at her sister but continued to whimper. She grabbed at the air which indicated to Lin that the small girl wanted a hand to hold. The two held hands comforting Suyin enough to stop crying.

Toph turned her head and kissed her eldest on the cheek. "Thanks, Badgermole."

"Help Mama!"

"It's just the three of us. We all need to help each other."

Both Lin and Suyin yawned. Toph just smirked.

"Looks like my little badgermoles are tired."

She carefully picked up both Su and Lin, one on each arm. She placed a kiss on both girls' head. Toph held them close to feel their gentle heart beats. In all her years, she had not imagined herself with two daughters, regardless of how they only shared half the same blood. The point was, they shared Toph's blood meaning they were family.

"This is our family. It's small, but all ours."

Toph continued to sway with her daughters.

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><p><strong>Hey guys! I'm back! It's summer time and with the news about Lin's half sister, I couldn't resist. I'm hoping to make this a multi chapter as well. I'm really excited to start writing again. I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Remember to review! They are small gifts that bring me joy (:<strong>


	2. Tiny Terrors: Part 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender or Legend of Korra**

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><p>Toph knocked on the door loudly with her left hand. Her other was held closely to her chest. She sighed at the radiating pain.<p>

"Thank god you are here."

The chief of police rolled her eyes. "Why yes, I would love to come in, Katara."

Katara just frowned at her. "Just get in here. Why are you protecting your arm?"

"Dislocated my shoulder."

"Again?"

"Why do you sound surprised?"

"Touche."

The two women walked into the living room and sighed. Toph was not surprised to sense Katara's three children, Tenzin, Kya, and Bumi, sitting respectfully on the couch just observing. She also wasn't startled at the two little girls that everyone was staring at. Both Bei Fong daughters had their small hands latched on to each side of a badgermole stuffed toy, Lin holding tightly on to two legs and Suyin the other two. There was a showdown underway.

"Mine!" Suyin yelled loudly.

Lin tugged frustrated. "Su give it back!"

"No! My badgermole!"

"No it's not! This is mine! Get your own!"

"Mine!"

"No!"

Toph finally cleared her throat catching the attention of both girls. The two squealed, dropped the toy, and ran over to their mother. Toph felt her legs being claimed by her daughters.

Lin tugged on her good arm. "Mom, I missed you."

On her other side, Suyin clawed at her uniform. "Up! Up!"

"Not now, Su. Mom is hurt right now." The earthbender ran her hand through Suyin's black hair.

"I'll help you get better!" Lin exclaimed.

"No! Me!" Suyin yelled back.

Lin scowled at her sister. "You're too small. Only big kids can help."

"I'm big kid!"

"No, you aren't!"

Katara noticed Toph rubbing her temple with her good hand, eyes closed due to a raging headache. She carefully kneeled down and ripped both kids from their mother. The two girls rebelled as usual.

The waterbender smiled gently at them. "How about I go fix Mom while you guys play with Kya, Tenzin, and Bumi?"

"Mama?" Suyin reached out for her mother.

Toph closed her eyes tighter. "Please, Su?"

The avatar's children joined the Bei Fong girls, Katara being thankful for her children understanding what she was trying to do. With the kids distracted, Toph and Katara made their way to the back room. Exhausted, Toph immediately sat on the bed slumping against the back wall. Katara crossed her arms, tired as well. They both sat in silence for a couple of minutes. It wasn't until Toph shifted causing her to grunt in pain that Katara broke the unspoken air.

"I'm sorry. I forgot you were hurt." She walked over and helped her friend take off the top part of her armor.

"It's alright." Toph mumbled curses as the last of her metal plates were removed, leaving her in a white tank top. "Although if you could do something about the swelling, that would be great."

Katara finished her primary survey of her shoulder. "I can take care of the swelling immediately, but first we have to put your shoulder back."

Toph nodded, having the procedure down a total of three times counting the current injury. Katara grabbed hold of Toph's arm and top part of her shoulder. Without even a word, the waterbender pushed inward and upward creating a pop sound. Toph sucked in a large amount of air but held in her vocal response. Quickly, Katara grabbed a bowl of water and began to heal the swelling.

Toph relaxed as cool water made contact with her shoulder. "Thanks."

"How did you dislocate it?"

Katara was surprised to hear her friend chuckle.

"I just overthrew my arm. Wasn't paying attention to my form."

The waterbender applied pressure to her shoulder causing Toph to stiffen.

"Alright! Ow! Sorry!"

"You better be!" Katara only smiled.

The two sat in silence once more just enjoying the calm atmosphere. It was obvious that both women were experiencing the weight of a long day.

Toph began the conversation once more. "How much did they fight today?"

"I'm more exhausted from pulling the two apart than anything else I did today. What is going on with your girls?"

"I don't know!" Toph dropped her head to hit the back wall. "They won't stop though. Lin is six and has my mouth already. I understand now why we fought so much back then. I was such a brat."

Katara mumbled quieter. "You kind of still are."

The waterbending master wasn't surprised to feel a pebble hit her forehead. They both shared a laugh.

"No, but I'm serious. Lin is way too young to be talking to Su the way she does. Then there is Suyin who thinks hitting solves everything. You don't even know how happy I am that Lin doesn't hit back or throw a boulder."

Katara got more water and continued healing. "Lin is a smart girl. Deep down, she doesn't actually want to hurt her sister. Suyin is still four, this is just a stage."

"This is different. Lin and Suyin, they don't get along. At all. There are times where I believe everything is fine and then boom! I find Su pulling on Lin's hair and I have to pull the two apart using my cables." The chief of police began rubbing her temple again.

Katara finally finished. Toph's shoulder looked perfectly normal. "That maybe sore for the night. Anyways, you know why the two girls don't get along?"

"Because they were born with only half the same personalities." Toph's head was in her hands.

The waterbender came over and rubbed Toph's shoulder. "Hey, it has nothing to do with that."

"What were you going to say?" The master earthbender just brushed off the comfort.

"I was going to say," Katara made her way to sit on the bed. "Lin and Suyin compete for your attention."

"Compete for my attention?" Toph questioned.

"Exactly. Listen, you are a great mother, Toph. You make sure that Lin and Su live the childhood that you always wanted. Free to do what they want, when they want. However, you are a very busy person, Toph. Without you around all the time, Lin and Su feel the need to get your attention when it is available."

The earthbender took the words into consideration. "Katara, I can't just drop my responsibilities-"

"I know that."

"I established the police force and I can't leave-"

"I understand."

"I would if I could, you know that, right?"

Katara placed her hand on Toph's arm. "I know."

The chief of police breathed deeply. The situation was frustrating.

"So what do I do?"

"You try your best."

Toph thought carefully before making her way to stand up. The moment she touched the ground, she felt the vibrations of a fight going on outside. She sighed.

"What better time than to start tonight."

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><p>It was a little over ten o'clock and the three Bei Fongs were in the girls' room. Lin was tucked into her bed and Toph was just finishing settling Suyin in for the night. Toph was still in her work pants and sweaty tank top. She prioritized the girls first.<p>

"Mom, can we train tomorrow?" Lin asked from her bed.

Toph kneeled in the opening in the middle of the room. She had one hand in contact with each of her daughters. "On the weekends, remember? We will earthbend this weekend. Just a couple more days."

Suyin reached for Toph's other hand. "Me too, Mama! Me earthbend."

The chief of police laughed gently. "Not yet, Badgermole. You can't earthbend yet."

"But what if she can't earthbend at all, Mom?"

Toph shot Lin a slightly disappointed look. "Don't say that, Lin. We don't know yet."

Lin furrowed her eyebrows in concern. "I wasn't being mean, Mom. I was just saying."

"Do you not want your sister to train with us?"

The elder Bei Fong sister didn't say anything.

"Come here, both of you." The two children climbed out of bed and into their mother's lap. "You guys are sisters, and you guys need to start acting like it. Why do you two keep arguing with each other?"

Lin played with her hands while Su looked at her mother confused.

"Well?"

"Because Su isn't a baby anymore, Mom."

Toph raised an eyebrow indicating to Lin that she should further explain.

Lin sighed. "You were always taking care of Su before you went back to work. Always holding her and carrying her. You never did things with me, Mom."

The earthbender kissed the top of Lin's head. "Lin, Su needed me more because she was a baby. Babies can't do anything by themselves, so Su needed a little more help. You helped me too, taking care of Su. Did you not like taking care of Su when she was a baby?"

"I did." This time Lin looked at her sister. "But I missed cuddling and you carrying me too."

"Well, I'm sorry badgermole. I didn't mean to make you feel left out." Toph held her children closer. "But things are different now. Both you and Su are much bigger and don't need me doing things for you as much. You guys can follow your own goals. However, you two still need to look out for each other, got it?"

"Yes, Mom."

"Yes, Mama." Suyin mimicked.

Toph continued. "And another thing, just because I'm not here all the time doesn't mean I don't love you guys any less. I love both of you evenly and you don't have to do anything to prove that to me. You guys are my girls, my badgermoles."

"We love you too, Mom." Lin hugged Toph tightly.

Suyin did the same. "Love, Mama."

"Good."

Toph hugged her girls back, hoping to the spirits that things were going to be different.

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><p><strong>Reviews keep me writing! Thanks for reading!<strong>


	3. Tiny Terrors: Part 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender or Legend of Korra**

**Author's note: Hey guys! So as the Legend of Korra book 3 progresses and we learn more about Lin and her family, if things in my story don't go as canon, I hope you guys don't mind too much. I already went back and corrected Suyin's name. But yeah, I just wanted to let you guys know that some things might not make sense. That's why they call it fan fiction right? Haha. Anyways, Enjoy!**

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><p>It had been several weeks since Toph had her conversation with the girls. So far, it seemed that her talk worked considering that arriving at Air Temple Island at the end of the day to get Lin and Su did not include pulling the two off of each other. Toph was more surprised to find Lin helping Su put on her coat and gathering all her toys. Suyin would voluntarily hold hands with her sister when boarding the boat, knowing that Lin hated sea travel like her mother. Toph did not say a word in fear of ruining such bliss.<p>

The Bei Fong girls were finally acting like sisters.

The act, unfortunately, was cut short when Suyin earthbended for the first time.

It was on a regular Saturday that Toph remembered her girls fighting once more. On the weekends, she had devoted her time to giving all of her attention to her daughters, which included training Lin in earthbending. The eldest Bei Fong sister had first shown her bending abilities at the age of four by hurling a rock at her mother during a tantrum. Ever since, Lin had been excelling beautifully. This was also an exciting time as Suyin was now four years old. Toph could sense that Su's time to start bending was coming soon.

"Ready?"

Lin took her stance. "Let's go!"

Toph stomped the ground and lifted a medium size boulder into the air. She glanced towards her blind folded daughter, making sure she wasn't cheating. Everything checked, Toph let the boulder fly towards the six-year-old.

At once, Lin bent a rock wall up in front of her to take the blast from the boulder. She found her body shifting a bit from the force, but nonetheless, she blocked her mother's attack. The small girl let out a shaky breath.

Toph nodded and continued. Moving around her daughter, the earthbender sent boulder after boulder. Lin did her best to dodge or block each attack. Often she would send her own boulder to counteract her mother's. Other times she would dodge quickly and return back to her stance. The exercise continued for another ten minutes. Shaking things up a bit, Toph sent a rock wall. Lin buried herself into the ground. The dust cleared and the six-year-old was nowhere to be seen in plain sight.

Toph put a hand on her hip and felt as her daughter moved underground. She went in a snake pattern before stopping right underneath Suyin. The smallest Bei Fong was presently building a dirt castle. The ground under Su began to rumble and at once, Su floated up into the air on her own little island. The small girl giggled in laughter with her hands up.

The chief of police chuckled slightly. "I think your sister likes the ride, Lin."

Su began to ascend higher, reaching taller than the house.

Maternal instincts kicking in, Toph crossed her arms. "Alright, Lin, I think that's enough. Put Su back on the ground."

Toph's ears twitched at the sound of Su's giggles too distant for her liking.

"Lin." She was sterner this time. "Are you listening? Put Su down."

Lin's little head popped out of the ground and she looked confused. "I thought you were doing that, Mom."

"I'm not doing anything. Stop playing around."

"Mom, it's not me." Lin looked up to find her sister five stories up. "It's…Su."

Toph's eyes widened. She quickly scanned the area to make sure that no one else was around the area to be causing Su's levitation. Relieved that the three of them only inhabited the training area, Toph whipped her head towards Lin.

"Where's Su?"

Lin had completely come out of the dirt now. She held the green blindfold in her left hand and was staring straight up. "She is on a piece of earth right above the house."

"What?" Toph glanced up in a general direction. "Get her down!"

Lin cried out. "Su! She's falling!"

At that moment Suyin slipped off her small dirt island and began her descent towards the ground of the training area. She screamed loudly while waving her arms in every which way. "Mama!"

"Su!"

Toph ran in the direction of her daughter's scream. However, Lin had already started moving and was bending her way up towards her sister. Pillar after pillar erupted and Lin jumped on to each. Higher and higher she climbed until she finally jumped into the air and caught Su mid air.

"Mom, sand!"

Toph bent the ground into sand just as Lin hit the ground. The eldest Bei Fong rolled a couple of yards, her sister safely wrapped by her body. They came to a halt in front of the porch.

Lin let go of Su who was now wailing loudly. Toph was there at an instant pulling Suyin into her arms. Her cries quieted quickly thanks to the comfort of her mother's contact.

"Are you alright, Lin?"

The older Bei Fong sister answered breathlessly. "I'm fine."

Toph crawled over to her and helped Lin sit up. "Nothing serious? Nothing broken? Or hurting?"

Lin grunted slightly in discomfort. "Just bruises later."

"We can fix those up later. I'm just glad both of you are okay." Toph pushed Lin's hair back, her hand wiping the sweat into her daughter's hair. "Thank you, Lin."

Lin smirked at her mother. "No problem, Mom."

"No really, thanks. You know how I hate stuff like that. Always feel like I can't do anything."

"I know." Lin giggled a little.

Toph put Su back down and directed her towards her sister. "Don't you have something to say to Lin?"

Su scowled at her sister and turned back to her mother. "Mama, up!"

"Hey, your sister just saved your life. Don't you think you should thank her?"

Suyin began stomping on the ground. "Lin hurt Su. Mama, up!"

Toph gave in and picked up her youngest. "What are you talking about, Su?"

Suyin raised her right arm and presented her bloody elbow to her mother. Toph felt the blood instantly.

"Come on, Su. Lin didn't mean it. You could have ended up worse."

Suyin continued to scowl at her older sister. She waved her arm and the earth rumbled slightly under Lin's feet causing her to topple over on to her behind. The eldest Bei Fong glared at her sister.

"Hey!"

Toph tried keeping Su's hands down. "What do you think you're doing? Lin just saved you from falling to your death. That shouldn't be how you repay her."

"Lin hurt!" Su flailed her arms harder causing various pebbles and rocks to fly towards Lin.

Lin bent all the rocks away. "Stop it, Su! Now you're hurting me!"

Toph pushed Su's hands down to stop her from bending. "Suyin, what the spirits has gotten into you?"

However, the smaller of the children started to cry in frustration. Toph sighed also irritated, not at all used to the children fighting again.

On the ground, Lin began walking towards her sister angry only to find her mother's hand stopping her.

"Fighting her won't do anything."

"But," Lin pulled on her mother's arm. "She was hurting me! You said we shouldn't fight each other!"

Toph growled slightly "I know, I know. But Su is still small. She doesn't understand it yet. She didn't mean to."

"But-"

"Leave it be, Lin."

And with that, Toph walked back into the house, Su on her hip and still crying. Lin was left in the training grounds. Her clothes were dirty and her arms and legs were probably going to be sore later due to the various bruises that will soon appear. Lin stared into her home and watched her mother start cleaning Su's wound the best she could. Toph wiped Su's tears away and talked to her gently.

Lin just glared.

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><p><strong>Reviews are very motivating!<strong>


	4. Secret Passions: Part 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender or Legend of Korra**

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><p>The sun was beating heavily on the island that day. Lin wiped the sweat off of her forehead. She let her head hang back on the chair and look straight at Kya.<p>

"Can you get me?"

The eleven year old bent water out of the nearby fountain and allowed the water to drench Lin. "There you go."

"Thanks."

Bumi was lying out on the ground sweating profusely. "Tenzin, how can you stand wearing those air nomad clothes? It has to be at least a hundred degrees out here!"

"I'm an airbender. I can fan myself off when ever I want." The youngest of the avatar's children scowled at his older brother

Kya just scoffed. "Woohoo, lucky you."

Lin rolled her eyes at the three siblings. The eldest Bei Fong sister decided that staying at home while Toph was at work was boring. Now that they were both older, Lin and Suyin made constant trips to Air Temple Island to escape keeping each other company. Whenever they stayed home, Toph would find them destroying the backyard earthbending or yelling at each other. It was saner on most days when the girls were with the avatar's children, even if the three fought as well.

Thirteen year old Bumi stood up and started to prance around. "Look at me, I'm Tenzin. I don't worry about the heat because I'm an all mighty airbender. The only one born in a hundred something years. Weeeeee!"

Tenzin blasted his brother with air causing him to fall over. Bumi got up at once and started wrestling his younger brother on the floor.

It took Kya to splash water on them to get them to stop. Lin rolled her eyes once more.

"What is your dad gonna say when he finds out you two were fighting? Especially you Tenzin?" Eight year old Lin smirked to herself.

The young airbender walked over to Lin and sat next to her. He closed his eyes and began meditating. Lin expected as much. Bumi was about to comment once again, but Kya beat him to it and hit the back of his head.

"Okay then." Lin began. "It's obvious that we are all frustrated and bored. Let's do something."

"Like?" Bumi asked.

"I don't know. I suggested we do something. It's your guys' job to come up with such something."

Kya spoke up this time. "How about, let's play 'Where's Suyin?'"

The eldest Bei Fong perked up in concern. "What? What kind of game is that?"

Bumi chuckled. "Haven't you noticed? Suyin hasn't come back from the bathroom in like two hours."

"How did we not notice?" There was panic in Lin's voice. "We have to go out and find her!"

"Wow, Lin. I've never seen you so concerned for your sister."

She shot Bumi a glare. "If I don't find Su, then Mom is going to bury me in the backyard."

"We'll find her, Lin." Kya assured her.

The four children began searching the island. She wasn't inside the house and the kids had to try hard and not heighten the suspicions of Katara. She wasn't in the air acolytes dormitories. The training grounds were barren of any signs that Su had passed through. The group rimmed the beaches and was yet again unlucky. They checked every tree, bush, and rock that was on the island. Lin had even used her seismic sense to check for Suyin's whereabouts. She was surprised to find nothing at all.

They arrived back at the training grounds when Lin screamed in frustration. "Where is that brat!?"

"She must have used the bathroom somewhere else." Bumi laughed.

Kya's eyes widened. "You don't think she went off the island do you?"

The avatar's children cringed as Lin bent the floor out of shape. The eldest Bei Fong threw rocks in every direction. "Oh, that is exactly what she did. This is the kind of thing that she likes doing. Making things harder for everyone. Ughhhhhhhhhh."

"Maybe you should calm down." Tenzin shakily suggested.

Lin whipped her head around. "I will when we find her!"

"And where do you think you are going?" Kya yelled back. "You really think we can just leave the island?"

"I can." Lin said as she continued walking.

"You think you are going to find her just like that? Republic city is huge!"

Bumi's words stopped Lin in her path. As much as an idiot that everyone thinks he is, Bumi was right. Lin was only eight. She didn't know her way around the city yet. The thought only made her concern heighten as Suyin was only six. If she was lost, Lin didn't know what she would do or what Toph would do.

"What am I supposed to do then?" Lin easily fixed the ground to its original design.

"Tell Mom." Tenzin suggested.

Lin growled once more. "That brat is going to get me in so much trouble."

"Mom could probably find her faster."

"You're right."

The group headed towards the house. Lin readied herself to tell her Aunt about Suyin's whereabouts, prepared that she would not be happy. They found the waterbender reading in the living room.

Lin rubbed the back of her neck and approached her. "Um, Aunt Katara?"

The aged healer put down her book and looked at Lin. "What is it? Is there something wrong?"

The small girl sighed. "Yeah. Suyin is missing."

"What are you talking about?" Katara sounded genuinely confused.

"Well," Lin took a deep breath. "She said she was going to bathroom about two hours ago and hasn't come back yet. We looked all over the island and couldn't find her anywhere. Our best guess is, she left the island."

"Are you sure about that?"

"We looked everywhere!"

Katara furrowed an eyebrow. "Then who is that eating at the kitchen counter?"

Lin, Kya, Bumi, and Tenzin all looked towards the kitchen and found a small girl seated eating baby carrots. Suyin was swinging her legs from the tall chair that she was currently sitting on. The smile on her face indicated she was enjoying her snack quite nicely.

"SUYIN!"

The youngest Bei Fong turned around and smiled. "Hi, Lin!"

Lin approached her sister with wide eyes. Naturally, she looked her sister up and down for any injuries or signs that she had been assaulted. She wouldn't admit it, but she was pretty relieved to find her sister unscathed. Now, Lin could just be mad at her.

"Where the hell were you?"

Katara scolded her immediately. "Hey! Watch your language!"

Lin seemed to just let the disciplinary action slide. "We have been looking for you for two hours!"

Suyin raised an eyebrow at her sister. "I told you, I went to the bathroom."

"Where? In Ba Sing Se!?"

"No!" Su was starting to get annoyed.

Lin growled. "Where were you? You know Mom doesn't like it when we aren't traveling together. You could have gotten hurt!"

"I was fine!"

Katara walked over to the argument. "Is this true, Su? Did you get off the island?"

Suyin didn't answer. She played with her carrots with her head turned down to avoid Katara's eyes.

"Well?"

Su's answer was mumbled under her breath. "Maybe."

The waterbender shook her head. "Your mother is hearing about this."

The young girl hopped off the chair and began running out of the house. This only angered Lin further.

"You aren't leaving again, Su!"

Lin found her sister standing in the middle of the training grounds. She was scowling at her as if it would burn right through her body.

Suyin yelled at a high volume, enough for the birds to fly away from the surrounding trees. "Why can't you ever let me have fun?"

Lin laughed at her sister's immaturity. "Fun? Republic city isn't exactly a playground."

The smallest Bei Fong clenched her fists. "You wouldn't know. You don't know how to have fun!"

"Shut up, Su! You don't know anything." Lin screamed back. Tenzin, Kya, and Bumi were now outside watching on the steps.

Suyin had enough. Quickly, she sent a fair-sized boulder towards her sister. Lin jumped out of the way quickly and matched her sister with fast moving rocks. Several were dodged by Suyin, but there were a few that scratched her up. Suyin breathed hard and fought on.

The small girl sent sheets of earth towards her sister in hopes of pushing her down. Lin had a harder time dodging these. The action took enough energy to delay her reflexes and get hit by a rock. Lin felt the wind knocked right out of her.

Thinking she had won Suyin smirked and crossed her arms. Seeing her older sister lying on the ground was slightly rewarding at the moment. Once several seconds past and Lin still had not gotten up, however, Su's eyes switched from victory to worry.

"Lin?"

The moment the name left her mouth, the earth cracked open beneath her and Suyin fell into the crack. She was stuck immediately.

"Mom! Suyin is stuck in the ground!" Bumi yelled as he ran back inside.

Suyin's breathing could be heard across the training ground. Hot tears of frustration were starting to collect in the six-year old's eyes. "Cheater!"

"Not cheating!" Lin yelled back. She held her stomach in slight pain.

"Stop thinking you can tell me what to do!"

Lin scoffed. "I'm not thinking anything. I'm just following what Mom said!"

Suyin continued to challenge her sister. "That's why you are so boring!"

"I'd rather be boring than stupid like you!"

The feeling of cold water hitting both Bei Fong girls halted their conflict immediately. They looked over to Kya and found her mother standing, hands on her hips, ready to yell at them like they had never experienced before.

Katara's voice boomed. "Will you two just stop? Both of you are acting disrespectfully."

"She started it!" The Bei Fong sisters said together.

"It doesn't matter anymore!" The waterbender's fury scared her own children that stood beside her. They knew exactly how angry Katara could get. "Lin, get your sister out of there. I just got off the phone with your mother."

Both girls swallowed hard.

"She is leaving the station early."

Lin and Suyin looked at each other.

Mom _never_ gets off work early.

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><p><strong>Reviews are like presents on Christmas. They mean a lot to me!<strong>


	5. Secret Passions: Part 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender or Legend of Korra**

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><p>"Mom, the boat just docked." Kya informed her mother.<p>

Katara nodded at her daughter and turned back to the two seated in front of her. Lin and Suyin were both playing with their hands nervously. The waterbender could only sigh. She was aware that Toph was much more liberal with her daughters. But when it came to discipline Toph knew exactly what she was doing. Katara only hoped she would go a bit easy on them.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

The two girls' breath hitched.

Katara made her way to the door and opened it. She found the chief of police with a hand on her hip, her face stoic. "Hi, Toph."

The earthbender grunted as a response and tried to get past her friend. Katara, however, stopped her.

"Listen, the girls are feeling bad enough for making you leave work early. I've already scolded them."

Toph's face contorted in irritation. "Whatever you did wasn't scolding. The girls know what scolding is and I'm the only one that can do it."

"Just," Katara started. "Don't bury them in the backyard."

"No promises." Toph began walking down the hallway towards the kitchen.

The Bei Fong sisters flinched at each step of their mother's metal uniform that they heard coming towards the kitchen. Their heads got lower and lower as she approached. Once she finally appeared in the room, the girls were practically under the counter.

Toph's face remained neutral, saving her scowling for later. "Lin. Suyin."

The girls scrambled to appear in front of their mother. Once there, Toph once more began walking down the hallway.

"We're going home."

The two girls followed obediently. Lin frowned at Tenzin who was waving goodbye from the door to his room. She needed all the luck she can get. Katara walked them out. Toph thanked her for watching the girls and apologized for the trouble the girls had caused. Before the waterbender could respond, Toph was already making her way to the docks. She watched the Bei Fong's from the doorway, surprised that Suyin took Lin's hand as they boarded the boat. Katara couldn't help but smile. No matter how much the two sisters fought, deep down, they still cared for each other.

The boat ride across Yue Bay was tense. Lin and Suyin sat together on a bench while their mother stood and leaned on the railing. The rocking of the boat was the least important of her thoughts.

"Do you think Mom is going to ground us?"

Lin rolled her eyes. "She is going to ground us alright. Until our heads are the only thing sticking out of the ground."

The two didn't talk the rest of the way.

They approached the Bei Fong estate in silence. Toph was too caught up in her thoughts that she didn't notice someone leaning against the door to her home.

"Skipping out on duties, Chief? What would the force say?"

Toph growled at the councilman. "What are you doing here?"

"Can't a person check up on his best friend?"

"I'm fine. You can leave now."

"Aren't going to offer me tea?"

The earthbender shifted him over to unlock the door. "The only thing I'm going to offer you is my fist if you don't leave soon. I have certain things to take care of, Sokka."

Sokka noticed that Toph was glaring in the general direction of her daughters. He definitely wasn't going to leave now. He smirked. "If you could add my tea to your list that would be lovely."

Lin and Suyin giggled.

Toph yelled at an instant. "Get inside. Now!"

The girls scurried towards their rooms.

"I'm guessing you found out that Suyin was roaming around downtown by herself."

Sokka smirked at the surprise on Toph's face. "How did you know?"

The councilman followed Toph into the kitchen. "The fire nation representative informed me before one of my meetings that a six-year-old girl had asked him for directions. I inquired about what she had looked like, call it instinct."

"And?"

"She wasn't wearing shoes."

Toph slapped her forehead. She docked some points off her reputation. Hopefully no one else had recognized that the chief of police's daughter was roaming the city alone. She sighed. "Stay here."

"Now you want me?" Sokka chuckled.

"I need you for something." Toph explained. "But first I have to take care of the girls."

"Both of them?"

"Yes, both of them."

The chief of police left the kitchen before Sokka could ask. She carefully made her way towards the girls' rooms. She passed by Suyin's door and knocked on it, telling her that she was going to talk to them in Lin's room. Toph opened Lin's door and didn't sense her heartbeat, which meant she was on her bed. The earthbender felt her youngest pass by her. Suyin sat herself on the bed next to her sister awaiting their mother's sentence.

Toph stood over the two. Lin and Suyin were two very brave little girls, stubborn even. The only being that could break their attitudes was their mother. And it was with the best intentions, of course.

"Suyin."

The six-year-old looked into her mother's blank eyes.

"Where did you go."

"Into the city." She answered obediently.

Toph spoke again. "Where in the city."

"Just in the city."

"Su, stand on the floor and tell me where you went."

The small girl jumped off the bed and stood with her hands behind her back. "Mom, I just walked around the city."

Toph frowned at her. "Su, you're lying to me."

She said nothing.

"Tell me where you went. I know you asked for directions. You asked the Fire Nation representative."

"I asked how to get back to Air Temple Island."

Toph struck with a dumbfounded face. "Why are you lying?"

Su didn't answer.

"Where were you."

The child only fumbled with her hands behind her back.

The chief of police began pacing. Her hand was rubbing her temple, something she had gotten used to when she got headaches. She tried her best not to explode at her youngest. "Okay, well if you won't tell me where you went, tell me why you didn't have Lin with you."

"I can walk by myself." Su told her mother.

"Suyin, you are only six years old. The least you could do is take your older sister with you. You could have kidnapped for all I know. Then it would be me looking for you. Do you want to put me in that kind of situation?"

Su looked towards the ground. "No."

Toph sighed deeply. "I let you guys do whatever you want. The only thing I ask is that you guys watch each others' back. That's all the security I need. Is it so hard to follow this one rule I have?"

Lin was surprised to find her mother staring in her general direction. "Are you talking to me?"

"Technically, I'm talking to both of you. But mostly you, Lin." Toph approached her this time. "How did you lose track of your sister so easily?"

"Mom?" Lin questioned.

"Lin, you know how to use seismic sense better than Su. You should have easily notice her leave the island. Unless you weren't paying attention."

Lin crossed her arms. "There are like 80 other heartbeats on the island."

"Still," Toph scolded. "You should have been paying attention."

The eldest of the Bei Fong sisters found it unnecessary to fight her mother anymore. She answered back defeated. "Yes, Mom."

"Now, for the rest of the week, to avoid leaving work again, you two are staying home. And if you guys destroy the house? Make sure it's fixed before I come home or so help me I'm sending you guys to live with your grandparents." Toph threatened.

"Yes, Mom." The two answered.

"Suyin, come to your room. I'm talking to you especially." Toph exited the room.

Su looked back at her sister. The two gave each other neutral faces.

"Are you mad at me?"

Lin crossed her legs and faced the wall, her back towards Suyin. "Don't keep Mom waiting."

The sound of her door closing made Lin punch her wall. The sound of her mother and sister talking only angered her more.

_She runs away, but gets all of Mom's attention._

* * *

><p>Lin sipped her tea at the kitchen table. It was around eleven at night and the house was fairly quiet. Suyin had stayed in her room the rest of the night while her mother and Sokka had gone out to wind down. Lin had trouble sleeping from the day's events. The fact that they were trapped in the house for the rest of the week irritated her to no end. Now, all Lin had for company was Suyin and that wasn't going to end well. On top of that, Suyin was getting Toph's attention for all the wrong reasons and Lin good not stand it.<p>

She put her cup away and began walking back to her room with the intention of trying to sleep once more. As she passed Su's door, she couldn't help but stop. Disregarding her anger with Suyin, Lin was interested to why she was lying to her mother about her whereabouts. Both sisters knew that lying to their mother would only get them into more trouble due to Toph's ability to detect heartbeats. Like her mother said earlier, Lin was getting pretty good at it as well.

Lin couldn't help herself and opened her sister's door. She was going to find out even if she had to wake Suyin at almost midnight. The room was dark as there was only an eighth of the moon out tonight. Lin could see the small figure of her sister sleeping in her bed. Her blanket was pulled all the way up covering her head as well.

"Su?"

There was no response.

Lin approached the bed and shook her sister's form. "Su, wake up."

Still nothing. And to Lin's knowledge, Suyin's body didn't feel correct under the blanket. The eldest Bei Fong sister grabbed the blanket and pulled it off. She gasped in genuine surprise.

There were only pillows lying in Suyin's place.

Lin was out the door immediately.

* * *

><p><strong>Reviews are like Kit Kat. I appreciate them so much.<strong>


	6. Secret Passions: Part 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender or Legend of Korra**

* * *

><p>Suyin wrapped her coat tighter around her small body. Although she was supposed to be grounded to the earth, Su loved the feeling of the wind going through her hair. The wind moved with ease and Suyin wanted to do the same. The six year old was often watching Tenzin train. She had even begun incorporating airbending movements into her own style.<p>

It was a particularly windy night, unusual since it had been so hot that morning. Suyin tried going out barefoot in order for her to use her seismic sense for extra security. It was night time in Republic City after all and even Su knew how much danger lurked. However, she did shiver at the night air and decided to wear bottomless shoes. Su had even punched them out herself.

When she finally reached her destination, her face lit up in glee.

* * *

><p>Lin was going to bury her.<p>

Bury her deep into the ground until Mom could forget about her.

Did she really mean that? At this moment she couldn't decide. Lin was shivering as she walked through the streets of the city. It only angered her further when she couldn't find a single trace of her sister. The city was far too large for Lin to pinpoint her familiar heartbeat. The eight year old was getting beyond frustrated.

"Suyin, why do you have to be such a brat?" Lin mumbled to herself.

Where was she even going to start? Su had to have come out into the night for something spectacular. Even she knew Su wasn't stupid enough to come out here at night, making her worry that something may have happened to her. Lin continued walking until she came across an extravagant poster describing an event going on at the arena.

It was worth a shot.

* * *

><p>She climbed through the window and tumbled to the floor. Suyin rubbed her head but got up without injury. The person inside the room gasped in shock and ran over to her.<p>

"Su? Are you alright?"

The tiny girl shook her head to clear the small head ache. "I'm fine."

"What are you doing here? It's nearly the middle of the night."

"I wanted to see you perform!" She exclaimed in delight.

May smiled lightly. "I doubt your mother is okay with this."

Suyin scowled and crossed her arms. May laughed. The dancer had known the little girl for only a couple of weeks. She had first started coming to the arena after May had helped her with a skinned knee. The dancer didn't ask what she was doing in the city. She just saw a little girl hurt on her way to practice. Suyin had stayed and rested during her practice. The six year old fell in love instantly with dancing and would attend their practices as much as she can.

"I got in trouble today. I'm mad at Mom and my sister right now."

"Did you finally get busted for running off all the time?" May asked.

Suyin scowled deeper. "Yes. It's all my sister's fault. She worries too much about her getting in trouble with Mom for letting me go off on my own. She follows the rules too much."

"I'm sure your sister is just looking out for your well being. That's all."

"Lin doesn't care if I get hurt. She only cares about getting in trouble with Mom. Mom even said I should act a little bit like Lin." Suyin seemed to have frowned.

"Your sister loves you. I'm certain. And your mother means the best. Following the rules is sometimes necessary." May hugged the small girl tight. "Since you are already out, do you want to accompany the group on stage?"

Suyin jumped up in delight. "You mean I get to dance with you guys?"

"As long as you follow the choreography. I'm sure you know it very well now."

"Of course!"

* * *

><p>Lin always hated crowds. Attending occasions alongside her mother was always a hassle for her. She was too short so all she could see were legs and dresses. No one would see her which resulted in her getting bumped around. This was no better.<p>

According to the sign out in the front, the arena was hosting a special performance for a famous fire nation dancing troupe. Why Suyin would have an interest for this? Lin didn't have an answer. She was more focused on getting back stage, convinced that Suyin wouldn't stay with the entering audience as she hated crowds as well.

Lin successfully cut through the crowd and found the door to backstage.

Back stage wasn't much better, there were many people bustling around trying to get ready for the show. She quickly sent out a wave of earthbending to find her sister but all she got back was a head ache as there were just too many people to concentrate.

Movement started to get faster and faster and Lin could tell that the show was going to begin soon. Her eyes caught the actual dance group making their way to the platform that would take them into the middle of the arena where they would be performing. They were dressed in designed fire nation costumes decorated in red and gold. Lin carefully though about her Uncle Zuko and how she hadn't seen his family in awhile.

Distracted, Lin didn't see the dancers get on the platform. When she finally turned back to them, her eyes bulged out of her head when she found her sister dressed with the group and standing on the platform herself.

_Are you kidding me._

Lin raced past the people in order to catch the dance group before they departed for the stage.

The platform moved just out of reach.

Lin tried her best not to bend the stone around her as Suyin waved back at her from the platform.

* * *

><p>She had never felt such a rush. Suyin had just danced in front of about a thousand people and they applauded her. She waved to them gracefully as the platform brought them back to where they had gotten on. Suyin made sure to remember what everything looked like. The audience standing out of their seats. The sound of cheering around her. Her dancer friends surrounding her and patting her on the back. This is what she wanted. This is what she loved to do.<p>

The moment Suyin stepped back on the platform. Her memories bombarded her and she remembered that Lin was waiting for her somewhere near. She gulped.

"What's wrong, Su?"

Suyin looked up at May with a slightly frightened expression. "Um, my sister is somewhere here waiting for me."

Understanding her fear, May smiled. "Let's find her together, huh?"

"Alright."

Suyin took May's hand and the two walked around backstage searching for Lin. After about ten minutes of looking, the two still had not found the eight year old.

"Are you sure she was waiting back here for you?"

"Well," Suyin started. "while we were going towards the arena, I saw Lin back at the railing where we first got on. I even waved at her. She didn't look very happy."

"You did run out into the night. If we don't find her, I'll happily take you home."

Su hugged her waist. "Thanks, May."

"That won't be necessary."

May and Suyin broke their embrace and there standing in front of them, hands on her hips, was Lin Bei Fong.

"Hi, Lin!" Suyin said nervously.

The eight year old approached the two. She bowed respectively to May. "Thanks for looking out for my sister. I never know where she runs off to."

"It was no problem. It's nice to meet you." May replied nicely.

"Your group danced beautifully tonight. I'm glad I got to catch the show even if I didn't intend to."

May placed a hand on Suyin's shoulder. "I'm glad you got to catch your sister's performance. It's her big break. I'm sure of it!"

Lin eyed Su. "I can assure you something is going to be broken if Su and I don't get home. Thanks again!"

"I hope I see you guys the next time we're in town."

Lin and Su waved back at May. They exited the building and descended the long steps. Lin held out her hand to Suyin and the younger girl took at it obediently for once. They began making their journey back home.

"Listen," Lin started. "I need to talk to you when we get home. But as of right now, we have bigger things to worry about. Mom for sure knows we are both gone. Why did you leave in the middle of the night? It's dangerous out here!"

Suyin frowned at her sister. "It was their last performance! I had to see it before they left!"

"We just got punished today, Su. What is Mom going to do to us when we get home? I don't even know!"

Suddenly, Lin and Suyin cringed. There was a familiar heartbeat behind them.

"I know exactly what she is going to do."

The girls turned around and came face to face with their mother. Her arms were crossed and she did not display any sign of emotion on her face.

"Hi, Mom!" Suyin greeted.

Toph just chuckled sarcastically. "Aren't you just a happy little girl?"

Suyin didn't answer. Lin took her chance to talk. "Before you say anything, this wasn't my fault. Suyin is the one that snuck off. I was just going to get her."

The chief of police just sighed. This day was taking too long to be over. "Where is Councilman Goatee?"

"Wasn't he with you, Mom?" Suyin asked.

Toph shook her head in disappointment. "I think both of you need more work on your seismic sense. Lin, Sokka was following you all night."

Lin answered back shocked. "He was?"

"Yes, I was."

The Bei Fong girls turned around and found Sokka approaching them with several skewers in his hand.

"Where the spirits have you been? I told you to keep an eye on Lin!" Toph yelled.

Sokka dropped his empty skewers. "Hey, I did exactly as you asked! I followed her all the way up to the arena. I was forced to take a little detour when a barbecue stand had intercepted my pursuit."

"You could have at least saved me some!"

The councilman just rolled his eyes at his best friend. "Get over it, will ya?"

Lin and Suyin yawning caught the adult's attention. Realizing just how late it was, Toph scooped up Lin into her arms. The eldest Bei Fong sister rested her head on her mother's shoulder. Sokka did the same with Suyin. The four began walking towards the Bei Fong estate.

Toph asked her next question quietly. "Was she good, Sokka?"

The water tribe warrior smiled gently. "She was fantastic."

The chief of police rubbed Suyin's back as they walked. "That's my girl."

"And also," Sokka started. "Lin was a great big sister tonight. Don't believe her when she says she doesn't care about Su and vice versa."

Toph rubbed her daughter's back. "Those are my girls."

* * *

><p>"Lin?"<p>

The eight year old stopped earthbending and looked to her sister at her left. Suyin was staring at her with sweat dripping down her face.

"What do you want?" Lin asked.

"You're the one that said you wanted to talk to me last night, remember?"

The eldest Bei Fong nodded her head. "Right. I did." Lin made her way to sit on the edge of the patio followed by Suyin. It was the sister's first day at home. Toph was already at work as usual. She had given the girls a scolding that morning for running off last night and had tasked the girls with fixing the backyard since after their last training session, it was practically destroyed.

"Su, why didn't you tell me you were sneaking off to watch the dancers?"

Suyin let her head rest on her hands. "I didn't want you to tell Mom where I was going."

Lin looked at her confused. "Why not?"

"Mom doesn't want me to be a dancer when I grow up. She probably wants me to be on the stupid police force."

The older sister rolled her eyes. "Mom doesn't care what we want to do. If you want to be a dancer, then be a dancer."

"Do you think she'll be mad?" Su asked genuinely concerned.

"Su, what does Mom always tell us?"

"Make sure no one catches you?"

Lin shook her head. "No! Mom tells us that we set our own goals in life. Do you want dancing to be one of your goals?"

Suyin nodded. "Yes?"

"Then become a dancer. Mom is happy with whatever you think is right."

"I bet you still want to be on the police force. How is that doing what Mom asked?" Suyin retorted.

Lin glared. "Being on the police force is something I want to do! It's my goal."

"Sure." Suyin smirked.

"Just do whatever you want. You might as well take up dancing. You are actually kind of good."

Su perked up. "Do you really think so?"

"Well something had to make up for your lousy earthbending."

"What?! I'll show you lousy bending!" Suyin threw a rock at her sister's head. Lin just grinned.

It came to no surprise to Toph when she found the backyard ten times worse than before she left the house.

* * *

><p><strong>Reviews are like french fries. I just can't get enough!<strong>


	7. Challenging Bei Fongs: Part 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender or Legend of Korra**

* * *

><p>Suyin messed with the small flower pins stuck in her hair. Lin smacked her hand away.<p>

"Ow! Mom, Lin hit me!"

"Oh suck it up. You threw a boulder at me the other day."

"That's different. We were training. Besides, you bent the doorknob at me. That's not fair!"

"Learn how to metalbend then."

Toph rubbed her temples. She listened on as her eleven year old daughter fought with her nine year old sister. This would probably be the eighth fight that the two girls had gotten into since the beginning of the trip. The chief of police resisted the urge to wrap her metal cables hidden under her dress around the girls.

Lin sneered. "You're just jealous that you can't metalbend yet."

"I am not. So what if you can bend metal. The entire police force can. Don't think you're special."

"Why do you have to be such a brat?"

"Why are you such a sour puss?"

Toph yelled so loud that the driver responsible for getting the three of them to Gaoling in one piece hit the brakes. He apologized and continued driving. "Will you two quit? If not I will gladly drop you off here and you can walk."

"Depends. Can I walk back home?" Suyin asked teasingly.

"Watch the attitude. I promise you your grandfather won't be happy if you spoke to him like that."

Lin laughed at her sister being scolded.

"You too." Toph glanced in Lin's general direction. "You can be just as bad."

Suyin smirked.

"Now then, I don't think I need to tell you guys how to behave at the estate. You can't act like you do at home. As much as I hate how my parents run things, I still love them for some unexplained reason that is beyond me. They drive me up the wall sometimes."

"They should come live with us. We have much more fun!" Suyin suggested.

Toph scoffed. "I don't think Mom and Dad would like seeing the house destroyed at least three times a week. Which reminds me, how did you guys break the wall in the living room?"

"It was Lin."

"It was Su."

The chief of police put her hands up. "You know what, forget I asked."

Suyin leaned into her mother. "Why do we have to wear these dresses, Mom. I can barely move in them."

"Mom likes it when we clean up. Its one of the things I'm willing to do. One of the only things."

Lin smoothed her dress down. "That's why you shouldn't mess with your hair, Su. It took forever to braid it."

"I could have done it myself."

"No you couldn't."

Suyin glared at her sister.

"That's another thing. You two need to stop fighting. At least while we are in Gaoling. Not much for my parents, but for the mercy of my head. It aches the moment I hear your voices rise."

"Well I never start it."

Suyin opened her mouth, but Toph silenced her by brushing her hair down. Lin only stared with jealousy.

"Come here, badgermole." Toph pulled Lin into her embrace. She had both her girls under her arms. "Just give me a break while we are over here? I want us to have somewhat of a pleasant time. It took Mom and Dad a lot to reconsider our...situation."

"What are you talking about, Mom?" Suyin looked at her confused.

Lin nuzzled into her mother. It was obvious that she understood what her mother was speaking of and Suyin's confusion. She gave Suyin a look that she didn't usually use: Lin was smiling gently at her sister. "Let's just not destroy the estate, alright?"

The youngest Bei Fong didn't ask questions after that.

It took another two hours before the three of them reached the elegant Bei Fong estate. It had not changed much from when Toph was younger. They exited the car and gracefully made their way into the grand room. Toph had one of her girls holding each of her hands. The guards opened the double wooden doors and the three of them entered.

"Toph, honey! You made it!" Poppy Bei Fong exclaimed from her seat. She made her way to embrace her only daughter. "I'm glad you made it here safely."

"Hi Mom." The chief of police hugged back.

"How are you doing today girls?"

Lin and Suyin flinched at their grandfathers demanding voice.

"Just a little tired from the trip. But other than that, we are doing fine, Grandfather." Lin bowed. Suyin watched her sister and quickly followed, making sure it did not look like an unnatural gesture.

"You will be able to rest soon. First, let's enjoy a meal."

The Bei Fong family situated themselves in the dining room. They were served by the private chef and conversation was ordinary.

Suyin almost grabbed the food with her hands when Lin nudged her in the leg and directed her to use chopsticks. The young girl frowned but complied.

"So," Lao Bei Fong started. "How is the police force?"

"Great. We recently caught one of the biggest crime bosses in the city. He is going to go on trial in a few months." Toph fed herself food after she finished speaking.

"Are you talking about Yakone, Mom?" Su asked.

"Yes." Toph answered.

Poppy raised an eyebrow. "I find it odd that Suyin has knowledge of such dangerous criminals. She shouldn't be exposed to that kind of information."

Toph rolled her eyes. "Her mother is the chief of police. Its difficult to keep domestic life and a career like that separate."

"Still. Suyin shouldn't be reading your police reports."

"Of course she doesn't read the police reports. That's what Lin is for. Su just listens."

"Young girls such as Suyin and Lin should not be helping with work such as yours. They should be socializing with friends and be occupied with various hobbies." Lao instructed her daughter.

Toph wiped her mouth. "The girls can do whatever they want. Whether it be reading my police reports or doing those things that you just said. They decide for themselves."

"That's another thing, Toph." Lao put down his utensils. "The girls have no sense of direction. How do you expect them to get along if you aren't around enough to guide them?"

"They can guide themselves along any path they choose. I am there enough to provide support."

Lin and Suyin gave each other a look obviously agreeing that the time their mother gives both of them unacceptable.

"Are you sure about that?" Lao challenged.

Toph put her utensils down on the table rather loudly. "Can we not talk about my parenting? I thought we agreed that was off limits while we were visiting?"

"We are just trying to help, Toph." Poppy replied gently.

Toph went back to eating. "Well when I ask for it, I won't hold you guys back."

The dining table went silent. Everyone continued to eat. Dessert came along and Suyin's eyes widened at the sight of green tea ice cream. Lin had to remind her again to use a spoon. The small girl scowled and ate her ice cream. During one particular scoop, Su's spoon got stuck in the frozen dessert. She tried hard to remove her spoon. When it finally came out, so did a large chunk of ice cream flying towards Lin. The icy dessert hit the eleven year old on her forehead.

Suyin watched as her sister seethe.

"Su!" Lin yelled.

The little girl's giggling only upset her sister more.

"You little brat!"

"You look a little green, Sis." Suyin chuckled out.

Lin wiped herself off as best she can. "You aren't funny!"

Suyin stuck her tongue out. "How would you know?"

"Brat!"

"Sour puss!"

"That's enough!"

Lin and Su froze at their mother's booming voice. Lao watched with indifference while Poppy looked on with concern.

"I told you guys to stop fighting before we got here!" Toph turned towards her daughters. "Su go to the room."

Suyin gaped at her mother. "But I'm not done yet!"

"I don't care. You obviously can't sit at the table properly so you don't really deserve that ice cream now do you?" Toph scolded.

"But Mom-"

"To the room. Now."

Su looked at her sister. "Lin was fighting back though!"

Her mother beat her before Lin could retort. "Because of you. Why can't you behave like her?"

Suyin frowned at her mother. Lin knew exactly why. Suyin always hated being compared to her older sister. At other times, Lin would feel superior at this moment, her mother taking her side. But Su's face looked different than her usual scowl when fighting her mother. Su looked genuinely upset.

"I hate you."

Toph's breath hitched. The action was barely noticeable, but Lin caught it.

The chief of police turned away from Su and closed her eyes. "Go to the room."

The youngest Bei Fong got off her seat and exited the dining area. Lin let her shoe slip off and she placed her foot on the ground. Surprising her was the fact that Su was actually heading to the room. She was sure she would run off somewhere. Her mother didn't give her any signs that she was aware of Suyin's small act of obedience.

"Do you see what we mean now?" Lao asked her daughter. The tone of his voice had an i-told-you-so ring to it.

Toph got up. "I'm going to walk around the gardens. Excuse me."

The chief of police left the room. Lin was left to finish her dessert in the company of her grandparents.

* * *

><p>Lin wasn't surprised to find Suyin gone by the time dinner was officially over. The nine year old was currently in another part of the large gardens either dancing or bending. Lin couldn't tell. Nonetheless, the older Bei Fong sister changed into pajamas and headed for where Suyin was. She found her in her pajamas as well and sweating profusely. Her body was huddled over, her hands holding something black and shiny.<p>

Lin smirked when she figured out it was metal.

"Let me guess," Lin started. "Trying to channel your anger so you can bend the metal?"

Su looked up with a fierce look. "Shut up, Lin. Just go back inside."

"You know, you won't be able to bend it being so distracted."

"I'm not distracted. That is until you came here." Suyin scoffed.

"Really?" Lin put a finger on her chin. "How come you didn't notice me walk over here then? You would have been gone the moment you felt my heart beat."

"Don't you have somewhere to be?"

"Nah. Mom is off somewhere and our grandparents are driving me up the wall with all the questions."

Suyin teased her angrily. "They love to spend time with their favorite grandchild."

"Although that does seem true, it's not. They love us both equally."

"Why are they so hard on us then?" Su put down the metal. "It's annoying."

"Because they want us to live a proper life." Lin crossed her arms. "Considering our situation."

The younger girl groaned. "What are you guys even talking about?"

"The fact that we don't have the same dad."

Suyin's body shot up and stiffened. Her nine year old mind tried to process the information carefully. She had never considered Lin and herself having different fathers. She had always assumed their dad ran off, too scared to take care of two children. This changed Su's perspective drastically.

"I was just as shocked as you when I found out."

Suyin looked at her sister, her half sister, in the eyes. "What happened to your dad? What about mine?"

Lin frowned. " I don't know. I never asked Mom."

Su wasn't considering asking her mother either.

"But that doesn't matter." The older Bei Fong stated. "We are doing fine without them. Even though I can't stand you most of the time."

"Of course. It's because you're the perfect one."

"Perfect? Far from it. As much as I hate to admit it, people at school even call me a sour puss."

"Because you are one."

"I'm trying really hard to be nice to you right now."

"Whatever." Suyin laughed. "You just need to learn how to have a little fun."

Lin approached her sister and bent the metal upon the floor. "How about you show me how to have fun when we get back home. For now, try not to upset Mom, Grandmother, or Grandfather again?"

"I didn't mean it you know. I don't hate Mom." Suyin looked to the ground guiltily.

The older Bei Fong rolled her eyes. "Apologize later." She bent it into the shape of a melon with a face and held it up. "Right now you have the Melon Lord to worry about!"

The two girls ran around the gardens screaming and yelling.

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><p><strong>Sorry for the late update. I had a bit of writer's block. But I got it now! Reviews are like texts from a crush. Makes me get butterflies in my stomach. (That may be a bit creepy.)<strong>


	8. Challenging Bei Fongs: Part 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own avatar the last airbender or legend of korra**

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><p>Suyin reached for the cookies in the plate next to her bedside. Lin tugged her away by her dress.<p>

"Can't you stand still for a minute? Let me just tie your dress and you can eat all the cookies that you want."

"But Lin!" Su pouted. "I've been standing for an entire hour. Don't let me starve."

The eldest Bei Fong just rolled her eyes. "Cookies aren't even healthy for you."

"Neither are fire flakes." Suyin crossed her arms and looked at her sister victoriously. Lin tried her hardest not to stick her tongue out to her sister and stooping down to her immature level. She continued to struggle with the wrap around Suyin's dress, both their patients wearing thin.

"How long does it take to tie that stupid thing?"

Lin glared up at her sister and decided to quit. She stood up and decided to fix her own hair. "I don't know. How about you try for once."

"I don't know how though."

"Figure it out."

"But-"

"You're the one that didn't want the maids to help."

"Because they push and shove."

"So do I."

"But I can push and shove back." Suyin smirked reminding Lin of Toph whenever she was acting mischevious.

"Yeah. And the moment I end up in a stone wall, Grandfather will disown you."

"You are one of the meanest human beings I have ever met."

"Get over it."

"Doesn't that bother you? You little sister thinks your a monster."

"Not really."

"But Liiiiiinnnnnnn." Suyin moaned again.

"Stop being lazy!"

"I'm not lazy!"

"My headache is telling me you two are fighting once again."

The two girls stopped talking at once. Lin looked at the doorway towards her mother. She gave her a look before going back to fixing her hair. Suyin, on the other hand, had froze up. The whole "I hate you" incident had only occurred yesterday. With the party tonight, the entire household was busy getting ready not giving a chance for the mother and daughter to talk. Suyin had not even been able to apologize and seeing her mother in the doorway made her heart beat erratically.

Lin pinned part of her hair up and inspected her adjustment. "Suyin keeps yelling at me because I can't tie her wrap right. She hasn't even tried herself."

"Does Mom have to do everything?" Toph began walking towards her youngest daughter standing near the bed that Suyin and Lin were currently sharing. Even if she wasn't on the best terms with her mother right now, she will always admire her. Toph was currently dressed in some very regal robes and a green dress. The servants had helped her get ready. Her hair was put into an eloquent design which included a formal earth kingdom headpiece. She and Lin were currently wearing similar clothing minus the head piece.

The master earthbender kneeled down and searched for the wrap on the floor. Suyin watched for a couple seconds before directing her mother.

"It's to your left."

Toph smirked. "Well aren't you very helpful for someone who hates me."

Lin flinched along with her sister at their mother's tough love.

Suyin played with her hands. Her mother's came to her waist and pulled her closer. Toph nudged her daughter's arms upward and Su complied. The wrap came around her waist and her mother tied it perfectly in only thirty seconds.

The youngest Bei Fong tried talking again. "How do you know how to do that so fast?"

Toph just snickered. "I didn't have a choice but to learn while I was growing up. That plus all the manners that you see your Grandfather and Grandmother do all the time. I know how to do that stuff too."

"How come you never do it then?"

"I don't want to."

Lin walked over to them and sat on the bed. "Which is exactly why Grandfather hates the way we behave."

"Well your Grandfather is just very strict." The chief of police was frowning now. "If I hadn't left this house like I did when I was twelve, I wouldn't know where I would have been. I wouldn't have discovered metalbending. I would have never become chief of police. And more importantly, I would have never had you guys."

"I'm glad you ran away, Mom."

Toph gave her a look. "But I thought you hated me, Su? You specifically told me yesterday during your performance at dinner. Why would you be glad that I did all that stuff if you even don't like me?"

Lin rolled her eyes. "Give her a break, Mom."

"I didn't mean it, Mom." Su wiped at her eyes trying to rid the evidence of her crying. "I don't hate you at all. I was angry. I'm sorry."

Toph cupped her ear. "Sorry, I didn't hear that. What did you say?"

"I'm sorry, Mom."

Toph surprised Suyin and pulled her into her arms. The two hugged for a while. Lin just scowled before busying herself with her clothing once more.

"Listen here, badgermole. I know that you butt heads with Lin and I, but we both try our best to look out for you. Just appreciate it a bit more alright? If anything you remind me a lot of myself back when I was a kid." Toph just laughed as she rubbed Su's back.

"Really?" Suyin pulled back excited.

Toph smiled. "Of course! I was such a…what is it you call her, Lin?"

"A brat." Lin sneered.

"There it is! I really was a brat. Just ask your Aunt Katara. I gave her so much crap. We spent more time arguing than actually getting along. Don't get me wrong, we are still friends. It's just the way we work." Toph rubbed the back of her neck as she reminisced.

Suyin giggled. "You must have made Aunt Katara blow her top off."

"I sure did. And still do in fact. I remember this one time during the war-"

"As much as I would love to hear that story," Lin got up the bed and continued talking. "We should really get out to the party before Grandfather and Grandmother come and grab us themselves."

Each girl took their mother's hand and the three walked out into the hallway. They began their journey towards the grand hall where the party was being held.

Suyin looked up to her mother as they walked. "By the way, what's this party even for?"

Toph fake gasped. "I'm offended."

"Why?" Lin asked. She had to admit that she had no knowledge of what the party was for. She and Suyin were just told to get ready by their Grandmother. The two didn't ask questions.

"It's my birthday."

Lin and Suyin looked at each other wide eyed as the doors opened to the grand hall. The crowd applauded and the two girls almost missed their queue to bow with their mother. Toph, Lin, and Suyin bowed gracefully and returned to standing up straight. Lin had schooled her sister on proper etiquette before the party and even though both were not properly educated like their mother, they were still of high class blood. They easily picked it up enough to make their actions convincing. Regarding their mother's birthday, Toph had never made a very big deal about it. Lin and Suyin would both get her gifts and the Bei Fongs would usually celebrate in bed until Katara called them for a big birthday dinner on the island. Whether it be the trip to Gaoling or Suyin acting out, both girls had forgotten.

The two sisters were pulled out of their shock when their grandparents approached them. Once again, they bowed respectfully.

"Thank you, girls."

"Good evening, Grandfather." Lin and Suyin answered at the same time.

Poppy Beifong approached her daughter and pulled her into an embrace. "Happy birthday, darling."

"Thanks, Mom." Toph answered with as much joy she can put into her voice. "You really didn't have to go to this much trouble for my birthday. I could have easily celebrated it in the city."

"Nonsense! You deserve much better. Come. I must introduce you to your guests."

Lin and Suyin watched their mother walk away with their grandmother. The pair had approached a group of men and was making light conversation. They could see the signs of discomfort in their mother's stance and gestures. Before they could even say a word, Lin and Suyin felt their grandfather's hands grab theirs and were directed in the opposite direction.

Suyin looked up to Lao Beifong. "Aren't we going to go with Mom?"

He shook his head. "Not right now. She must get acquainted with the guests. Are you girls hungry?"

The two answered in sync. "Yes, Grandfather."

He had led them to an elegant table and helped them get seated. Several servants filled the table with various types of food. Once again, Su had almost dived in. Lin secretly kicked her in the shin and directed her to her chopsticks. The youngest Bei Fong grumbled but complied. They hadn't noticed how hungry they actually were until they began eating. Mesmerized by the high class food, Lin and Suyin didn't notice their grandfather walk away.

Suyin called out to her sister. "Lin, pass the tofu."

"Hold on. Let me get some." The eldest Bei Fong grabbed several pieces before passing it to Suyin. Her eyes fell on the fresh pan fried noodles that were placed on the table and she smiled. "Look! They made Mom's favorite!"

"Mom loves noodles!" Suyin popped some tofu into her mouth and swallowed before speaking again. "Has she eaten yet?"

Lin slurped the noodles up and looked out into the crowd. She searched for her mother's blank eyes, but was only met with disappointment. "I don't see her anywhere."

"Her loss." Suyin continued eating.

At that moment, Lin and Su spotted the same men that Toph and Poppy had talked to at the beginning of the party. They held expensive glasses in their hands, halfway full with the wine offered. Their manly laughs echoed near the table. They talked, unaware that Lin and Suyin could hear them perfectly well with their trained senses.

"I know now why she's chief of police. What a brute woman."

The girls' eyebrows rose.

"She may be brute, but imagine how she is in bed. I'd like a ticket for that ride."

The men laughed heartily. The Bei Fong sisters were scowling now.

"The woman is vicious, but her body almost convinced me to ask for her hand in marriage. If I had that waiting for me at home every night, I wouldn't waste my time with the girls at the bars."

"Marriage? Yeah right, not with her two demon children. I heard they fight like two rabid hog monkeys."

"I blame it on their fathers. You would only expect much when you have to raise two bastards with two different fathers."

"Who cares. Whoever those guys were are lucky if they got to bang Bei Fong."

During the entire conversation, the two girls seated back at the table were clenching their teeth. Lin's fists were squeezed so hard, she hadn't noticed the corner of the metal table start to curl. Suyin, on the other hand, was holding the table tightly, unaware that she herself had deformed the table, making an imprint with her hands.

"Lin." Su growled to her sister quietly as possible. The eleven year old remained scowled, but didn't respond.

Suyin called out again. "Lin. They're talking about Mom."

"No shit."

Su was shocked out of her anger by her sister's use of language. At that moment her hands released their grip on the table. She went into even greater shock at the deformed metal.

"Lin. I just metalbended."

The eldest Bei Fong looked over and found what her sister was staring at. She gave Su an indifferent look. "Good."

Su couldn't help but scowl. "Good? That's all you're gonna say?"

"Good because you can help me with my plan."

"You have a plan?" Suyin looked at her quizzically.

"I won't let those idiots get away with what they said about Mom."

The youngest out of the two crossed her arms impressed. "My big sister has a plan? Maybe you do really know how to have fun."

"And what kind of fun are we engaging ourselves into?"

Lin's and Su's backs straightened.

"May I see you two in my study?" Lao asked calmly.

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><p><strong>Thank you for reading! Reviews are like that dinky little toy you get in cereal boxes. They are so small but so meaningful.<strong>


	9. Challenging Bei Fongs: Part 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender or Legend of Korra**

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><p>The neatness in their grandfather's study definitely made the two Bei Fong sister's nervous. Whether it be the neat books on the several shelves or the organized pile of papers sitting on the large wooden desk, the girls were terrified of what was coming. Lao's determined stare didn't help ease any tension either.<p>

"So," Their grandfather's voice made them sit upright in their chairs. "correct me if I'm wrong, but did I hear that you two were going to do something to those men?"

Lin and Su looked at each other. They silently agreed that Lin should speak. "Yes, Grandfather."

"And what exactly were you two planning on doing?"

"Well-"

"I'd like Suyin to answer, Lin."

The smaller girl swallowed the lump in her throat. "I actually don't know. Lin was the one with a plan."

Lao Bei Fong turned towards his eldest granddaughter. Lin kept a straight face as her grandfather judged her. "You were the one with the plan?"

Lin nodded.

"Fine. What was the plan then, Lin?" Lao stood up, put his hands behind his back, and began pacing back and forth.

The eldest Bei Fong sister got to her feet as well and hid her hands in her sleeves. "Those men are aristocrats from Ba Sing Se. They are the sons of upper ring families. Even if they have high status, they have enough of an ego to fill the entire city. You did not hear what they said about Mother."

"I know what I did and did not hear. You did not answer my question, Lin. What were you planning?"

"But Grandfather-"

"I will ask again!" Suyin jumped at Lao's booming voice. She looked at her sister who seemed unfazed. Lao stopped and stared at his eldest granddaughter. "What were you planning."

At this point, it didn't even sound like a question. Nonetheless, Lin finally gave in. "Suyin and I were going to stage a fight. We were going to show them how demonic we really are."

Lao's face hardened. "You mean to tell me that you two were going to destroy the inside of my estate just to prove a point?"

"Destroying the estate is a sacrifice I considered and am willing to take."

"And so was harming the important connections I have with those men's families?"

Lin sat back down. "Yes, Grandfather."

Su couldn't help but smirk at her sister's bravery and determination to teach the men a lesson. Never would she admit it, but she was proud. The youngest Bei Fong turned back to their grandfather. "Those men insulted Mom. They insulted your daughter. Lin and I won't stand for idiots making a fool out of the greatest earthbender in the world and Republic City's chief of police. We won't stand for them to make fun of the first metalbender in the world or the avatar's earthbending master. And we will definitely not stand being called bastards."

There was a small flash of shock that ran over Lao's face. Both girls caught it, making their faces toughen with determination.

"They called both of you bastards?"

Lin and Suyin nodded.

The girls didn't know how long it was until their grandfather finally spoke up again. The man stood there looking at some imaginary object on his desk contemplating. They didn't know what he was thinking about. Whether it is their punishments or disinheritance, Su and Lin kept their faces fierce.

"I don't approve of this plan at all."

The Bei Fong girls rolled their eyes internally at their grandfather.

Lao walked over and stood directly in front of his two granddaughters. Lin and Suyin stood up as well. "Your actions would have cost this family several aristocratic connections. This plan would have ruined your mother's celebration. Our estate would be in pieces by the time you two were done staging your conflict. I may just have to disown both of you."

Both girls straightened their posture, a sign to their grandfather saying that they didn't care. They did not expect him to start walking towards the door.

"Of course, we do have hundreds more connections all over the earth kingdom and, thanks to the end of the war, a few with both the fire nation and both water tribes."

He continued his steps towards the door.

"Your mother never really did like large celebrations anyways."

There was the sound of clinking metal in the air.

"I do believe that it was time we renovated the gardens."

Both girls' ears twitched at the sound of metal hitting the floor.

"Disowning you wouldn't do very good. Your mother has already made quite the name for herself and has casted her own proper shadow over both of you. I might lose your mother from the Bei Fong name if I did that."

Lin and Su turned around to find their grandfather holding the handles to his study doors. The shock on their faces from the look of their grandfather's smirk was picture worthy. Now they know where their mother inherited the familiar expression.

"I didn't know a thing, agreed?"

The girls shook their head obediently, still stunned at the turn of events. "Of course, Grandfather."

Lao exited the study. "Have a wonderful night, girls."

There was no movement from either Su or Lin. The two were still trying to believe that their grandfather had just granted them permission to do this. Lao Bei Fong, the strict, overprotective, noble of them all patriarch of the Bei Fong family, had given them the green light. Both girls couldn't even find words.

"Did he just-"

"Uh huh." Suyin answered before her sister could finish.

Their eyes moved the pile of metal on the ground. Lin and Suyin approached it and were taken aback by the six car keys lying on the floor.

"Did he-"

"Uh huh." This time it was Lin that answered back. The gears in her head began to turn. Suyin found the same grin that their grandfather had plastered on his face now on Lin. The young girl quirked an eyebrow at her, both scared and intrigued.

"What?"

Lin grabbed all the car keys. "Change of plans. Want to have your first metalbending lesson?"

Suyin smirked. "How very kind of you to offer."

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><p>"Shhhhh!" Lin tried to quiet her sister as they reached the entrance to the gardens. Suyin quieted her giggles.<p>

"Lady Bei Fong and also Lady Bei Fong. Having an excellent evening?" The guard asked who was standing near the doorway.

The eldest Bei Fong kept a straight face. "Yes, of course. We would just like to step outside for a minute. Get some fresh air."

"Of course, Lady Bei Fong." The guard stepped aside.

Suyin and Lin walked a few feet away from the guards before talking to each other.

"Strange. You'd think that they would have refused our request." Su commented.

Lin just rolled her eyes. "Grandfather obviously talked to them."

Suyin grinned. "Grandfather isn't as bad as I thought. I wonder why Mom feels the need to impress him all the time."

"Su, Mom just wants to show her parents that she can take care of us. That way, Grandfather and Grandmother won't make us live with them."

"Would they really do that?" Lin found her younger sister looking at her with concern.

She didn't answer her sister immediately. Lin didn't know how to explain that this was their Grandparent's intention for the past several years. Being older, she comprehended their mother's attitude towards her parents as much more than a difficult parent child relationship. "Maybe. Maybe not. Grandfather's cooperation right now definitely changes things."

The girls didn't talk more on the subject. The two walked far enough from the gardens to avoid hitting the house but also close enough for their yelling to reach the guest's who would most likely be standing by the entrance. They faced each other.

"Alright, remember, don't hit the house."

Suyin nodded. "Got it."

"Also, don't try to destroy the walls either."

Once again, Su nodded, more irritated this time. "Gotcha."

"Remember what I taught you."

Suyin decided to answer with a rock barely grazing Lin's head. The eleven year old seethed.

"Hey!"

"Can we get started already?" Suyin was getting impatient. "Can I call them?"

Lin huffed in frustration. "Fine."

Su jumped into the air before proceeding. She took a strong horse stance and held her arms out towards the expanse of the gardens. She concentrated her energy and called to the earth. Lin's arms were crossed and she observed her sister. The earth beneath their feet began with a gentle rumble and turned into the entire estate vibrating. Both girls could hear the surprise from inside the house as the guests gasped and began asking questions. Suyin concentrated on not letting her bending get too out of control or else the Bei Fong family home would come down in pieces. Lin nodded at her when she spotted the guests making their way towards the gardens.

When the last of the party goers stepped foot into the gardens, Suyin halted the small earthquake at once. The sisters stood up straight, hands behind their back, in front of their audience.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, we are proud to be your entertainment for the night."

"What do you two think you are doing?" The frightened voice of Poppy Bei Fong came through the crowd. Beside their grandmother, their mother stood with the most angry look they had ever seen. It was go big or go home now.

Suyin stepped forward. "As a treat for our guests and for our mother, my sister and I would like to demonstrate the beauty that is metalbending."

Lin followed her sister. "At the age of only twelve, our mother discovered the art of metalbending by feeling the earthly impurities in the metal. With enough skill and determination, she was able to bend the impurities which thus bent the metal as well."

"Now, the sub skill of metalbending is taught in several schools established by our mother, and is the primary weapon for the Republic City Police Force." Suyin added.

"As her legacy, Suyin and I would like to show you the prestige of our mother through our own skill of metalbending."

Toph began shouting out. "Suyin, you can't even-"

Her father approached Toph's right side. "I'd like to see what my granddaughters have gotten themselves into this time."

"But Dad you don't know what they are capable-"

"I'll give my own judgement on their actions."

Back in the middle of the gardens, Suyin continued announcing. "And now, Lin will show you the metal that we shall be bending today."

The eldest Bei Fong sister took a stance and grabbed at the earth. She twisted the ground and soon enough the ground opened. Making its way from its grave were six shiny cars. Lin and Suyin fought their snickers as they observed the men's jaws drop. Toph crossed her arms, her scowl softening the tiniest bit.

"Those are our cars!" The men practically yelled in sync.

Lin bowed towards them. "Thank you for volunteering your vehicle for tonight's demonstration."

The man that had called the girls bastards approached Lao. "Tell your insolent grandchildren to return our cars at once, Lao!"

"That is Lord Bei Fong to you." Lao scolded the young man. "I'm sure your father would not be happy with the way you are disrespecting me at this very moment."

Full attention was put back on the girls. The two stood together and spoke to the crowd together. "Ladies and Gentlemen, we would like to present to you our birthday present to our mother!"

Lin bent one car to roll right behind Suyin. She did the same for herself. Both girls got to work and were bending the metal of the cars. The sides of the cars began to curl and bend in all different ways. It was obvious that they were no longer any use for driving. Lin compressed the metal into intricate shapes. Once finished with one car, she moved on to another one and did the same. Suyin continued working on the same car, her metalbending abilities just only discovered. Lin had taught her some basics before they went to the garden and it seemed that the younger girl had listened to her sister for once. The youngest Bei Fong was sweating, fiercely trying to prove her worthiness as a metalbender. The crowd continued to watch. Lao observed as the men who had insulted his family were cringing at each sound of the metal bending. Some had even fell to their knees.

Once finished bending the five other cars, Lin began stacking the pieces in precise order. Toph's hands traveled to her mouth once she realized what her daughters were building.

Finishing her car, Suyin signaled to Lin that she was ready. The oldest of the two, now sweating just as much as her sister, bent the last piece on top of their master piece. The two looked up at what they had created when they finished.

The guests stood in complete shock. Their eyes were glued at the twenty feet metal sculpture standing over them. The men who Lin and Suyin had targeted were pathetically on the verge of tears.

Towering over the entire estate was a statue of Toph Bei Fong.

Lin and Suyin had depicted their mother in her police uniform. Both hands were in fists and placed on the police chief's hips.

From behind them, there was a single clap. Lin and Suyin turned around. Due to the bending they had engaged in, their formal dresses were dirtied in several spots. They silently wondered how upset their grandmother would be. Nonetheless, the clapping slowly continued and the other guests joined in. Soon enough, the entire audience was applauding the two girls, everyone except their grandparents, their mother, and the six men who were now fainted on the floors of the garden.

Lin and Su bowed at their audience. When they stood back up, their mother was walking towards them. The girls couldn't tell if the tremors traveling towards them were being caused by Toph or by their nerves.

The chief of police went to stand behind her children and put an arm around them. She bent down so that her voice could only be heard between the two girls. "Time for bed."

The family of three made their walk back into the house, Toph holding a tight fist on the back of both Lin and Suyin's dresses.

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><p><strong>And another chapter done. Please review! Reviews are like air coming from the fan on a hot day. It heals the laziness I contract on hot summer days. I hope you guys enjoyed!<strong>


	10. Challenging Bei Fongs: Part 4

**disclaimer:I don't own atla or mom**

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><p>Toph opened her eyes. She was under a blanket, she knew that much. She grabbed the cloth and pulled it low to get fresh air. The warmth on her face indicated the sun was shining its holy light on her. The master earthbender just groaned.<p>

She forced herself to sit all the way up. Her hands ran through her black hair, the strands standing up in every way possible. Toph felt past her bed towards the table next to the bed and picked up the brush that she had been using the previous day. As much as she tried to resist growing up, it happened. The feminine parts of her every day life included brushing her hair since she refused to cut it, taking a bath because she knew that appearance was everything to the press, and managing both her finger nails and toe nails because, to be honest, they felt better when they were clean. She pulled the brush through her hair until there were no tangles to stop it. Toph decided it was time to get up and take a bath.

When she stood up, she felt and heard several bumps against the wall to her right. Toph's eyes narrowed knowing that that was the girls' room. Her fingers came to pinch the bridge of her nose, something she had picked up when her frustration grew. She closed her eyes.

_Nope. I'm not going to deal with them yet._

And she tried really hard to ignore her two daughters. As she lay in the bathtub, she cringed at the sound of the girls shrieking next door. When getting dressed, she gave the wall a look when her feet sensed earthbending in the room. The only time that the chief of police interrupted her morning routine was when her daughter's heartbeats were nowhere to be felt in the next room. Toph's curiosity overcame her irritation and she made her way to the next room

She started out with a polite gesture. Toph knocked three times on the wooden part of the sliding door. "Lin? Suyin?"

Her girls didn't answer back.

She moved on to busting into the room. Her hand grabbed the door and she slid it all the way open. "Hey. You two lunatics in here?"

There was just silence. Toph made sure they weren't hiding from her and searched the bed for two bodies. There was no giggling, no feet moving around her. The chief of police pinched her nose at the thought of her daughters running on a rampage even after last night.

Toph walked back out into the hallway and began walking towards the main room where the party was held.

Lin and Suyin had received Toph's most terrifying scolding that they had ever experienced: their mother said nothing. With her hands clutched to her daughter's clothes, Toph had walked them back all the way to the room. Without a word, she had signaled to get ready for bed. Lin and Suyin changed and brushed their teeth, giving each other looks when they could. They were surprised when their mother even tucked them in. But that was it. Toph made sure they were comfortable in bed and then returned to the party. The girls could only assume that they were really going to get it tommrow.

_"Do you regret it?" Suyin asked her big sister._

_Lin closed her eyes but remained facing her younger sibling. "No. Now go to sleep."_

Toph arrived in the main room and it looked untouched. The servants had cleaned up fast and good, except for one spot near the doorway to the gardens. When she approached it, she was surprised to find mud footprints going through one side of the doorway to the other returning back into the gardens. The sound of her children didn't even give her the chance to wonder.

Her feet met with earth and she found her girls running around in an open space. Her parents were seated at a shaded patio area having tea.

"Good morning, Toph!" Poppy smiled up at her daughter.

The chief of police just grunted and walked to the edge of the open grass. "Lin! Suyin! You left mud on the floor near the doorway!"

"That wasn't me, Mom."

Suyin scowled. "You were the one chasing me, stupid!"

"Suyin." Lao continued reading the paper in his hands.

"Sorry, Grandfather." The youngest Bei Fong ran towards the entrance intending to bend away the mess their mother had found. Lin crossed her arms before making her way to follow her sister.

Toph began walking towards her parents until she noticed the large metal structure of her was _still_ in her parent's garden. She sat down next to her parents and gave them a confused look. "You guys kept the statue?"

"Yes." Lao answered.

Poppy put a hand on to her daughter's arm. "Isn't it a lovely present from the girls? The guests loved it."

Toph scowled. "You were mad at them last night for even doing it."

"Well yes since the cars didn't exactly belong to us. I insisted your father to pay the men back but he refused." Poppy sipped her tea.

"You aren't going to pay them back, Dad?" The chief of police was intrigued considering it was Lao that considered maintaining good connections were essential. She had even refrained herself from launching the men out of the house. As charming as they made themselves, Toph could see right through that façade and into the snobby rich boys they really were. They'd be nothing without their parent's money, even at thirty years old.

Her father sighed and exchanged the paper in his hands with tea. "No need. I took the girls to apologize to the men this morning while you were still in bed." To both Toph's and his wife's unknowing knowledge he had really taken the girls to an earth rumble tournament instead.

Toph face changed to some sort of surprise. Her words came slightly unsure. "Did they, you know, apologize?"

Lao didn't look at his daughter when he spoke. "It didn't matter. Their families already alerted me of our terminated relationship. Hence," He waved the paper in the air to make a sound.

"Sorry, Dad."

"I didn't like their families very much anyways. They were quite rude, weren't they, dear?"

Poppy nodded. "If I have to hear one more story about their new satomobile, new phone, or their eighth house, I might have ended the relationship myself."

Toph felt her daughters approach the table. The girls stopped right before their mother. Lin still had her arms crossed like before while Suyin held hers behind her back. They didn't speak at all, rather waiting for their mother to make the first move.

"Hey, girls." She said too casually.

Lin avoided staring at her mother's milky green eyes. "I'm guessing you aren't very happy about last night?"

Toph quirked an eyebrow. "What makes you think that?"

Suyin sighed. "You didn't talk to us at all. You must have been so pissed." Lin coughed. "I mean mad."

"I'd say that's pretty accurate."

"So what's our punishment?" The older Bei Fong sister tried to keep her face neutral. It was her idea after all.

Toph put a finger to her chin and exaggerated her thought process. "Hmmmm. I don't know yet. I'm between persuading Twinkle Toes to have you two clean the bison caves for a month and making you two janitors at the station."

Su scoffed. "We aren't allowed to work at the station until we're eighteen."

"Damn Snoozles and his child labor laws." Toph mumbled under her breath.

Lin shook her head. "She was kidding, Su."

"That's what you think."

Suyin and Lin were quiet once more. They fidgeted with different parts of their body. Toph just scratched her nose.

Lin was more irritated with her mother's way of dragging things out than scared of their punishment. "So? What's our sentence?"

The chief of police let her hands travel to the back of her head. "When we get back home, you two are going to cook dinner. For me, and everyone else. For a week."

Suyin whined. "Cooking?" She was nudged in her ribs. "Yes, ma'm."

"Sorry about the commotion during the party, Mom." Lin apologized on behalf of her sister and herself.

"I just have to ask. Why do you guys have to be dramatic? A coupon to Chang's Noodle House would have sufficed."

"Because you're our mom."

Toph couldn't help smirking at their synced response. "Oh yeah. I forgot."

"Mom!" Suyin groaned.

"Get over here." She opened up her arms for the two to come. Lin and Suyin ran into their mother's embrace. They hugged before Toph let her arms rest on each girl's shoulder. "Thanks for the statue. Tall and important, just like me."

Lin rolled her eyes. "You aren't tall, Mom."

"I'm taller than you, Sour puss."

Suyin watched her sister's expression change. Now that she understood how Lin felt about the nickname, she quickly backed her sister up. "Mom, it was all Lin's idea, you know that?"

Toph perked up. "Really?"

"Yeah!" She turned more so she was speaking more towards her mother. "She even taught me some metalbending so I can help."

"Well, well, well. It's nice to know that you did inherit some of my awesomeness." Toph kissed Lin's cheek. "Thanks, kid."

The older of the sisters let a smile spread across her face.

"Speaking of metalbending, now that Su can metalbend, we can start training all together again." The chief of police enjoyed the groans of annoyance that came from her daughters' mouth.

Su pulled on Toph's arm. "Mom, we're on vacation!"

"Give us a break, Mom." Lin supported.

Toph directed her speech to her mother. "You mind lending me a few coins, Mom?"

"Toph, let the girls enjoy the rest of their days here. Training can wait can't it?" The older woman was already rummaging through her robes for her coin purse.

"Nope." The master metalbender held her hand out waiting. "The girls will get sloppy."

Poppy shook her head. "I want all this back, Toph. Girls."

"Got it." Toph, Suyin, and Lin answered back together.

Lao watched as the three started moving back towards the open area of the garden. "Don't push them too hard, Toph. I don't want a single touch on the house."

"No promises!"

Lao sighed deeply.

Back with the girls, Toph dropped the coin purse on the ground and put both hands to her hips. She leaned forward to keep her speech from reaching her parents. "Alright. Where did you guys go this morning with your grandfather?"

"We went to apologize-"

"Don't give me that. Your grandfather was lying to me. Even Dad can't get away from this lie detector." Toph pointed her thumb towards her chest. "And neither can you."

Suyin looked for some kind of approval from her sister. Lin just shrugged. "It doesn't matter anymore."

The younger jumped in glee and twirled."We went to watch an earth rumble tournament!"

Toph flinched. "What? Without me?!"

The master earthbender was about to turn back to question her father, but Lin grabbed her wrist to stop her pursuit. "Don't"

"I did hear you correctly, right? My father took you two to a dirty old arena to watch guys pumble each other with rocks?"

The girls nodded. Su spoke with kindness. "Grandfather isn't so bad."

Toph pondered on any sort of explanation to why her father would allow her children to attend something so classless. Whether it be her own judgement of her father clouding her mind or denial, she couldn't seem to come up with a response.

"He doesn't let people get away with calling us bastards." Lin informed her mother.

And that was when Toph's heart swelled. She tried hard to conceal the new found appreciation she had for her father. The chief of police was unaware that Lao was staring at the three fondly.

"Huh, I guess he isn't."

* * *

><p><strong>old man lao isn't so bad, right. Thanks for reading! Reviews are like meat to Sokka. He loves it. And so do I!<strong>


	11. Unintended Discoveries: Part 1

Disclaimer:** I don't own atla or lok**

* * *

><p>There were a lot of things that Lin found annoying about her younger sister. There was her sarcasm, her ability to not take things seriously, and her exceptional skill of evading any kind of punishment. Yes, it seemed that between the two Bei Fong girls, the more mischievous side of Toph's personality had been inherited by Su while Lin was blessed with her mother's determination and loyalty. Of course, most of the traits of the chief of police could be seen within both her daughters, but there were some characteristics that were more dominate than others.<p>

However, at the moment, Lin stared at the sight before her and the jealousy (may she ever admit it) was seething directly at her precious baby sister.

"Su, move your arms like this."

"Like this?"

"No, your arms are too stiff. Let them flow."

As the sixteen year old Tenzin grabbed Suyin's arms, fifteen year old Lin growled from her spot in the shade. The sisters were at Air Temple Island, like usual, on a strangely hot spring day. Toph was working, Aang was in Ba Sing Se, and Katara was volunteering her time along with Kya at the downtown hospital. There were only four children left on the island. Suyin was getting lessons from Tenzin on making her dancing more fluid. Lin was observing from the side with her arms and legs crossed. And Bumi…

Well, speaking of Bumi…

"Why the angry face, Bei Fong senior?"

Lin swatted the brown unruly hair out of her face. "Get out of here, idiot."

The twenty year old just plopped himself down next to his favorite Bei Fong. "No can do. I don't leave for the United Forces until October."

"Can time move any slower?"

"If you continue just sitting here, it would. Come on, Lin. Let's do something. You know that Bei Fong Junior and Baldy aren't going to be doing anything else all day."

Lin thought about her options. She was getting awfully bored and irked at just watching her sister and her best friend. As much as she wanted to just pull her sister away, she knew that any kind of action would leave her with no explanation for herself other than…things that she has been denying lately. Her best bet would be to do something with the avatar's oldest son. To her, Bumi wasn't so bad, as long as you knew how to tame him.

"Fine." She got up and dusted herself off. "Let's go to my house."

"Wahoo!"

The two eldest of their respective siblings walked towards the docks of the island. Tenzin and Su halted their lessons when they notice where they were headed.

"And where are you two going?" Su asked.

"Out." Lin answered back indifferently.

Tenzin wiped the sweat off of his forehead. His arrows, just months old, seemed to glisten with the droplets of sweat on them. "Mom is going to be mad if you aren't back by dinner."

Bumi just scoffed. "Pfffff. I'm twenty. What is Mom going to do? Ground me?"

His little brother just looked at him seriously. The future recruit nodded.

"I'll be home, little brother."

It was Suyin's turn to scold her sibling. "Mom said we are having dinner here too. I thought you had the academy later?"

The sound of her thirteen year old sister just irritated Lin even further. In addition to regular school, the eldest Bei Fong was starting to attend police force academy. In fact, all of Lin's focus seemed to be put on the academy, in hopes of impressing her mother. Toph had announced she was proud of Lin with whatever she accomplished. The answer was not good enough for Lin and only motivated her to try harder. "It's a non-student day. We'll be back by dinner."

And with that Bumi and Lin walked away from the other two.

* * *

><p>"So does the academy really have a non-student day?"<p>

Lin let her eyes look at Bumi for a second before answering. The avatar's first born had his hands holding the sheathed sword behind his head as they walked through the city to get to the Bei Fong estate. Sokka had taught him well. "No."

"What?" He put a hand to his chest. "Bei Fong Senior skipping out on school? I'm appalled."

She shoved him off the sidewalk right when a car was passing. Lin couldn't believe how high pitched he had squealed.

"I already know how to use metal cables. Going there for that lesson would be a complete waste of my time."

"I don't know if you noticed, but you almost caused my untimely death."

"I know. Almost isn't good enough."

Bumi just turned away from her. The two continued walking through the streets of Republic City. It wouldn't be another ten or fifteen minutes until they would reach the Bei Fong home. It didn't help when Bumi would try to flirt with every single woman that passed them.

"No _you_ have a fantastic day, Miss."

Lin groaned when the woman was out of hearing distance. "Do you feel the need to do that every time we pass any member of the female species?"

"No necessarily." He was already staring at a business woman walking by. "I haven't hit on you."

Internally, Lin felt the blow hard in the stomach. If there was one thing that Toph had tried to press upon her daughters, it was not to care about appearances. The advice was harder to put into use when her children had two working eyes. Suyin and Lin admired their mother very much, but sometimes the chief of police couldn't help with these things. Both Lin and Suyin got advice from Kya and Katara about how they should dress and fix themselves on a daily basis. However, they couldn't help the fact that the Bei Fong girls were just late bloomers. Suyin was fine, being only thirteen, but Lin was going on sixteen and she still had the lanky body of her younger self. She was just starting to develop and finally look her age. Lin would never admit it to anyone, but she'd like to impress at least one boy (and one who she thought sported his arrow tattoos nicely).

She acted like the comment didn't faze her. "Thank the spirits."

Lin didn't expect his voice to come close to her ear. "You're under aged."

"Get away, you creep." Her voice had pure venom, but she was trying to fight off smile that was creeping onto her face. She appreciated the implication of any attraction towards her, even if she saw Bumi as a brother.

"I'm just messing with you, Bei Fong! You're like the little sister that I always wanted." Bumi let his arm drop to her shoulders.

Lin rolled her eyes. Surprisingly, she didn't shake off his arm. "You already have a little sister."

Bumi just smirked. "You weren't listening. I said _that I always wanted."_

"Kya is going to kill you."

"When hasn't she tried?"

The two had finally reached Lin's home after some more flirting and abuse. Lin walked over to the mail box at the front of her home and checked for any bills or complaints about property destruction that she had to inform her mother about. _Bill. Bill. Complaint. Letter_.

Lin's mind stopped at the sight of the handwritten envelope that she assumed enclosed a hand written letter. It was addressed specifically to Toph.

_Toph Bei Fong – To Be Read in Private._

"What an absolute idiot."

Bumi had heard Lin mumble to herself. The young man had been looking out into the distance, waiting for Lin to invite him into the house. He approached quickly and looked over her shoulder. "What is it?"

Lin was giving the envelope the special annoyed face she only saved for when Suyin did something that hit every one of her nerves. "Some genius decided to write my Mom a letter."

"I don't see the problem."

She shot a look at him. It had caused Bumi to flinch. "My mother is blind."

The twenty year old just scratched his head. "Oh yeah."

"Idiot."

"Aunt Toph doesn't act like she is blind. That's why I and everyone else forgets."

Lin just pushed past him and walked towards the door. He followed obediently behind her. After metalbending the lock open, the two entered the Bei Fong abode. They passed by the kitchen where Lin dumped the bills and complaints on the dining table. However, she held onto the beige handwritten envelope and made her way into her room. Bumi jumped onto her bed while Lin sat on the edge.

"Well?"

The eldest Bei Fong shot her friend a look. "What?"

"Aren't you gonna open it?" He gave her a questioning expression. "You obviously brought it in here for a reason."

She put her eyes back on the envelope. The letter was addressed to her mother. Then again, it's not like she wouldn't have found out about it sooner or later. "She is probably going to make me read it."

"There you go. Pop that sucker open and read it out loud."

Lin pinched the hand closest to her. Bumi jumped about two feet off the bed in surprise. "It says _To Be Read in Private_, Scruffy."

He rubbed his hand gently while holding it close to his chest. "You know, some people like my scruffiness. And come on. It's not like I'm going to tell anyone."

She scoffed. "Yeah right. I'm going to read it to myself first. Then I'll see if you are worthy."

The fifteen year old tore the top of the envelope open and carefully pulled the white stationary out. Lin unfolded it carefully to find a small paragraph written in pencil. Using her observation skills, the eraser marks in the back indicated to her that whoever had sent the message was having second thoughts about what to say. The information in here was obviously important.

Bumi stayed silent as his friend's eyes danced over the words in the letter. He had been staring at Lin's eyes moving back and forth. He was surprised to see them widen. This was something big. When she finished, Lin let her hands holding the letter fall to her lap. Her thoughts were all over the place as she looked into the air for an answer. A minute later, she picked up the stationary and began reading again.

"What is it?" He sat up on the bed and put his hands on his knees.

When she didn't answer, Bumi took a chance to look over her shoulder and was lucky when she didn't shove him away. His gray eyes followed the words on the paper.

_Toph,_

_ I'm going to be in the city for a couple of days. My refinery is dropping off some minerals and coal for the factories. I was hoping that we could catch up and have some tea. It's been sixteen years since we were last together and I still want to be friends. I also would love to meet your daughters. I'll be in Republic City on the 20__th__. I'll stop by the police station that evening._

_ Satoru_

Bumi cocked his head to the side. "Who is Satoru?"

Lin shrugged her shoulders. "I have no idea. But why does he want to meet up with my Mom?"

The two sat in silence for about two minutes. Within that time, they had passed the letter back and forth trying to solve the mystery of Toph's male "friend". It shocked Lin when Bumi had finally come up with an answer.

"Well duh!" He hit his forehead with his palm. "This guy is either your dad or Su's dad!"

She practically fell off her bed. "W-What?"

"Can't you read? _It's been sixteen years since we were last together and I still want to be friends_? He wants to meet you and Su? It makes perfect sense!"

Lin shook her head violently. "No, no, no, no, no. That can't be it. This must just be one of Mom's original metalbending students or something."

Bumi clapped a hand on her back. "Stop denying it, Bei Fong. This guy is totally one of your Mom's baby daddies."

He was looking at her with the same eyes that Aang used when he was filled with curiosity. At this very moment, she could see that there was no doubt that he was the son of the avatar. Lin refused to fall for it though. "Bumi, you aren't being funny."

"I wasn't trying to be."

As much as Bumi loved to tease her, he was well aware of the touchy subject of Toph's past lovers. He was five at the time of Lin's birth and was starting to develop a memory. He had remembered seeing only two other men (other than his father, Uncle Sokka, and Uncle Zuko) who associated with his Aunt Toph. The names evaded him now, but he was sure that when he got a glimpse of their faces, something would rush forward from the confines of his mind. Bumi just wasn't sure if Lin wanted to know if this man was one of those two men. Worst of all, she may not have wanted to know if this man was her father of all people.

Throughout his entire thought process, Lin was staring at the letter attentively. The eldest son of Avatar Aang was getting a bad feeling. He instantly regretted even suggesting the identity of the mysterious Satoru.

"Bumi…"

"No."

Lin scowled. "You don't even know what I was going to ask!"

"I do know what you are going to ask and I refuse to accompany you."

"Come on." She turned her whole body to face the future recruit who had his arms crossed. Bumi and closed his eyes and turned his head away from the eldest Bei Fong. "I don't actually want to meet the guy. I just want to see what he looks like."

"Sure."

"Bumi, I'm sure you are just as curious as I am. Don't you want to prove yourself right?"

He shook his head. "Not this time, Lin. Look, I can see where this was going and trust me, I regret even putting my theory out there now. If this guy ends up being…who we think he is, I don't think it may be a good idea if you two met up."

Lin's mind completely ignored the concern that had plastered itself on Bumi's face. "I don't need you looking out for me. If you are going to be this difficult, I'll just go by myself."

"Alright!" He quickly responded. There was no way he was letting Lin go through this sure to be wild ride by herself. He didn't know what he was getting himself into, but Bumi was determined to not let Lin get hurt by pursuing the mystery man. If there was no way he could stop him, he might as well supervise. "I'll come with. But! Like you said, we are not speaking a word to this guy. I'm sure we won't even get to see his face because your Mom would have caught us by then."

She smiled genuinely at her friend. "Thanks."

"Now, go get a new envelope for that thing. You don't want to make it seem like you opened it already."

The girl rolled her eyes. "I knew that."

Their breathing stopped when they heard someone yelling from the front of the house.

"Lin! Grab these groceries will ya! My arms are dying. And where is your sister?"

Bumi and Lin looked at each other. "Shit!"

* * *

><p><strong>And there we go. I have a feeling that Bumi and Lin have a good relationship considering they were both the oldest. So who better than to come along? I hope you enjoyed reading! Review are like that song you know every lyric to. You never get tired of singingreading it over and over again. Thanks guys!**


	12. Unintended Discoveries: Part 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own atla or lok**

* * *

><p>Bumi and Lin looked at each other desperately.<p>

_What should we do?_

_I don't know!_

"Hey! I thought I told you to come here and help me you lazy bum!"

Lin noted that Bumi was still atop her bed meaning that her mother thought she was the only one home. She looked at the letter on the bed, at Bumi, back to the letter, and then at the door. The groan she let out caused Bumi to start breathing harder. The eldest Bei Fong walked over to her desk and pulled out a new envelope from a drawer. The envelope came hard at Bumi's chest who still looked panicked.

"Fix the letter. I'll stall. Mom doesn't know you are here, so if you want to make everything easier on both of us, stay on the bed."

The future recruit nodded. Lin was out the door.

She found her mother in the kitchen, biting into an apple with one of her feet up on the table while the other stayed put on the floor. She was still in her police uniform.

"You're home early." Lin walked passed the table and secretly grabbed the mail that looked untouched. She stealthily set it down on the wooden table to the far left. Afterwards, Lin made her way over to the bag of groceries and began putting things away. "And you bought groceries? You don't usually do that."

"And I thought, you were supposed to be in class ten minutes ago." Her mother quirked an eyebrow. "Sokka helped me go grocery shopping. He so kindly reminded me that we had no food in the house which is why you two scavenge at the island. Snoozles is coming for dinner too."

Toph's eldest closed the cabinet doors slowly, having put the last of the food items where they belong. "We know how busy you are, Mom. Plus Aunt Katara always tells us we are welcome to come to the island anytime which is what we do anyways."

"Yeah, well now there is food in the house so maybe you guys can bring Twinkle Toes' kids here for a change." The chief of police took another bite of her apple. "Now, you didn't answer my question. I thought you had the academy today?"

Lin just sighed. "Today is training with the metal spools. You know I can do anything with those things in my sleep. I'd rather not waste an hour of my day learning something I already know how to do."

Toph nodded her head. "Fair enough. Where's your sister?"

"She's back on the island. Tenzin is teaching her some airbending techniques to help her with her dancing." She tried to suppress the sneer in her response. Toph, however, noticed.

"Don't worry about it, Lin. I'm sure Su isn't going to try anything on Tenzin." The master earthbender snickered at hearing her eldest daughter groan. Even though both Lin and Tenzin denied any sort of feelings towards each other, everybody else, including the adults, were more than sure that there was nothing _but_ romantic tension between the two teenagers. "What are you doing here?"

At that moment, both earthbenders felt the ground give off a large vibration. Lin couldn't help her hand coming up to smack her in the forehead, something she had picked up from her Uncle Sokka. Toph got up at once and put her hands on her hips.

"And what, shall I ask, was that?"

_I'm gonna kill him._ Lin controlled her voice and heart. "Did I mention that I have a friend over?"

Toph concentrated on her daughter's heartbeat trying to assume where this was going. "And why, of all places, is your friend in your room?"

"He and I are studying."

"He?"

"Yes."

There was no doubt that Toph was a very laid back parent. She let the girls do whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted. However, now that both Lin and Suyin were growing up and getting to that age where they would start developing relationships, the chief of police was in a panic. No one but Sokka, Aang, and Katara knew about Toph's fear of her girls making the wrong decision and ending up broken hearted. The three assured her as best they could, telling the earthbender that Lin and Su knew better. In reality, the war heroes were really trying to assure Toph that her girls wouldn't go through the same pain that she had gone through herself.

Toph's heart was beating fast, something she rarely let happen to her unless in battle. Her eldest daughter looked at her concerned. "Are you okay, Mom?"

"Please, for spirits sake, tell me you were being safe."

Lin practically fell to the ground herself. "M-Mom? What are you talking about? I-"

Toph instantly put her hands up to her ears to shield whatever was going to come out of her daughter's mouth. "Nope! I don't want to know! Please spare my ears! I just want to know that you are making safe choices, Lin. La, la, la, la, la…"

"Mom." Her mother continued chanting. "Mom." Lin walked over to her mother and grabbed her hands. She pushed them away and spoke calmly. However, the blush still shaded her cheeks at their current topic of discussion."Mom. I haven't done…that. Ever."

Toph deflated with relief. "Really?"

"Really." Lin crossed her arms and looked annoyed once more. "You are worrying for nothing. It's just Bumi."

The chief of police responded with a scowl. "Bumi? Well why didn't you say so? Hairball! Get out here!"

There was the sound of the door creaking open. As they expected, the steps started out light, but of course, the future recruit couldn't make things simple. There was a loud crash, Toph and Lin assuming Bumi had managed to fall in the hallway. He came crawling in until he was kneeling right next to Lin.

"Get up."

The avatar's oldest son jumped up at once. Lin watched him and her eyes spotted the envelope he was hiding behind his back. She couldn't control the cringe that shot through her spine.

Her mother turned her head towards her. "What's got you anxious all of a sudden?"

Lin smiled nervously. "Nothing! Just this whole situation is a bit…odd."

"You bet it is." Toph crossed her arms, looking her usual irritated self. "So what's the deal? Why were you two in Lin's room?"

Bumi looked at Lin. Lin looked back at Bumi. He slowly brought the envelope out between them, for once remembering her Aunt's blindness. They spoke silently in a matter of seconds through the expressions on their faces.

_I got it done!_

_That handwriting looks like crap! _

(In reality Lin was actually very impressed considering that she couldn't tell the difference between Bumi's penmanship and the one used on the letter. But of course, she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction.)

_I did my best! Just take it from me!_

Lin thought quickly. She brought her hand up to her mouth and faked sneezed loud enough for the noise of paper crumpling to be masked by her bodily function. Bumi even jumped slightly while Lin grabbed the envelope and stuffed it into her shirt. After the exchange, Lin wiped at her nose.

"Oh man. Excuse me!"

"Bless you, Lin!" Bumi said too politely.

Lin nervously laughed. "Thank you, Bumi! It must be the pollen in the air!"

Bumi joined in on Lin's attempt to mask their swap. "Oh yeah! There sure is a lot out there since it's spring."

"Will you two shut up already?! You guys are acting way too weird." Toph yelled loudly and Bumi and Lin instantly stopped their banter. "What were you two doing in the house?"

"Uh…"

"Well…"

Toph was growing frustrated with the two. "Your hearts are racing. There is no point to even try covering this up."

"We were making out!"

Lin's mind stopped when Bumi's words entered her ears. She could not think or speak. There was no doubt in her mind that she was honestly going to kill him. Lin knew that Aang had made her promise that she wouldn't kill any one of his children back in her younger days. But as her friend just demonstrated, she thought the situation had called for exceptions. The eldest Bei Fong nodded to herself, agreeing that if Lin had not killed Bumi, then her mother would. And if Toph couldn't finish out the job (very, very unlikely), then Aang himself would kill his son. If that didn't work, then there was always Katara.

Lin's eyes followed Bumi's stare and found her mother clenching her fists, yet her face remained unchanged. Oh yes, Bumi was in great need of a burial spot at the moment. "I'm sorry. Say that again?"

If a man could shrink any further, it was the avatar's eldest son. "We were…making…out…"

"Again?"

She couldn't believe that she had to go along with this. Lin cleared her throat. Her hands were already covering her face to hide the death glare she would soon be giving Bumi. "We were making out."

"Okay. Because that's what I thought he said."

Toph rubbed her face with her hands. She dismissed the fast heart beats of the children in front of her as embarrassment. The earthbender knew the avatar's oldest son well and although Bumi was a flirt, deep down she knew that he was a good kid. He had the proper morals and loyalty thanks to his mother and father. But again, the panic that usually accompanied Toph's heart whenever thinking about the girls' futures was back with a vengeance. She needed help. "Okay. Yeah. I can't do this. I had just gotten over the fact that Lin was most likely going to get together with Twinkle Toes Jr. I'm not even afraid to admit it. I need help."

"Which means?" Bumi asked afraid.

"We are going to the island. I need to talk to Katara and Aang."

* * *

><p>In good married fashion, Aang and Katara came to the door together. They smiled at the sight of their old friend.<p>

"Hi there, Toph!"

Katara spoke next. "We weren't expecting you until later."

"Our kids were in my house making out."

Behind her mother, Lin was standing with her arms crossed. She carefully moved her head to the side to get a look at her Aunt and Uncle. The eldest Bei Fong fought the urge to smack herself again. The avatar, usually so calm and collected, was shivering? No shaking with something. Lin decided to call it something between shock and some form of anger. On his left, Katara's right eye was twitching. Lin had only seen this happen only a few times in her life. The only thing that anyone needed to know when put before Katara in this state was that it was not going to be pretty.

Aang quickly shook off his surprise. "Wait a minute, Tenzin is outside with Suyin. How could he have beaten you here?"

Toph pinched the bridge of her nose. "Because it wasn't Tenzin. It was your other one."

The chief of police moved to the right revealing Lin standing looking annoyed. Behind her, Bumi's eyes peaked over the girl's right shoulder. There was fear in his eyes. "Hi, Mom. Hi, Dad."

Katara's eye twitched several more times. Aang was back to being shocked.

"Get. Inside."

Bumi quickly pushed Lin into the doorway and the two ran out towards the other side of the house. They ran straight into the training area outside before their parents can get at them. Toph walked past the married couple to make her way to the kitchen. Aang and Katara found her leaning back against the counter, hands grabbing the edges. The look of concern on her face was something Aang and Katara were seeing much too often now a days.

Even the way she talked seemed off. "I know what you guys are going to say and I get it. Bumi is a good kid. But he's five years older than Lin. When I came home, I couldn't even find him. That means he was on her bed and...I don't know. I accidentally assumed some things. Lin cleared it up though. She said nothing happened. But still, making out on the bed? I can tell you right now that from my own experience, a hundred percent of the time that leads to other things and-"

"Toph, was Lin lying when she told you nothing happened?" Aang placed a hand on her shoulder.

The chief of police took a deep breath as her rambling had deprived her of oxygen. "No."

Katara chuckled slightly. "Well, then you should believe her."

The avatar felt his friend relax under his hand. "Alright."

"Now then," The waterbender walked into the kitchen and began pouring tea. Aang and Toph both knew that Katara was just storing up a storm that would come out when they finally talked to the children. "I do agree that this incident is a bit...odd, but we'll figure it out. Later though seeing that you almost had an anxiety attack, Toph."

Surprisingly, the master earthbender didn't argue. "Ha. Lin said the same thing."

"I was sure that it was Lin and Tenzin. Not Lin and Bumi." Aang put a hand to his chin.

"Well, let's not talk about it right now. We'll deal with the two of them later." Katara handed them all tea. In reality, the waterbender had to ready herself for that conversation as well.

Toph grabbed her tea cup. "Yeah, let's put that off the to the side for now. In the meantime, Katara, I need to talk to you. In private."

The two women took their cups and began walking to one of the back rooms. Aang didn't let them leave without input.

"You aren't pregnant again are you, Sifu?"

"Shut up, Twinkle Toes!"

The avatar's low laughter could be heard down the hallway.

Once the two women made it into an open room, Toph slid the door closed. She turned around and placed her cup of tea on the table to her left. Her hands soon began digging into her shirt.

"Uh, Toph? What are you up to?"

"Oh, don't worry. There is nothing wrong with my body. I need you to read something. I just need to find it." The chief of police continued her search for a couple more seconds until she finally pulled a slightly bent envelope into the open air. "Lin handed this to me before we left the house. Said it came in the mail."

The waterbender couldn't help but snicker. "Who was stupid enough to send you a letter? Sokka..."

"I don't think so. Lin didn't recognize the handwriting."

"Then who?"

"I don't know. Maybe someone who hasn't...seen me in awhile."

"Define awhile."

"Sixteen years."

"Oh." Katara was silent for several seconds before she finally caught on. "OH! You think this is from Satoru!"

Toph nodded her head with exaggeration. "Yeah. So I need you to read it. I'm lucky Lin didn't open it herself."

The waterbender began opening the top of the envelope, her own curiosity getting to her as well. She glanced up and Toph and found her friend surprisingly calm. However, Katara knew the chief of police too well and was certain that her heart was practically beating out of her chest.

Katara began reading the neat penmanship on the stationary aloud so that Toph could hear. As she read on, both woman's eyes widened and by the time Katara looked up from the letter she found Toph's mouth pressed tightly in a line.

She just sighed. "Well I guess that clears up any doubt in your assumptions."

"Sure does."

Toph let herself slowly slump down to the floor.

* * *

><p><strong>This is probably going to turn into the longest story arc. So stay tuned! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Reviews are like Lin saying "I love you." Enough said (:<strong>


	13. Unintended Discoveries: Part 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own atla or lok.**

* * *

><p>"You guys are back. And…Mom's here." Suyin said out loud feeling the familiar footsteps of both Bumi and Lin behind her. She continued practicing the forms Tenzin had been demonstrating.<p>

The young monk was sitting cross legged meditating. However, he was up when alerted of their elder siblings' arrival. "I thought everyone wasn't supposed to come till dinner."

"Yeah. Why is Mom home early?"

Lin just crossed her arms. "I don't know? I didn't ask."

"So," The airbender put his hands behind his back. "What did you guys do today?"

Lin and Bumi eyed each other from the side. After coming outside and figuring out their parents weren't coming after them, the two had relaxed. Were they looking forward to the upcoming conversation? Not really, but they could enjoy their first moment they had all day without being nervous. The two had both their arms crossed, facing their younger siblings.

Bumi was the one to clear his throat and speak first. "We were just hanging at Lin's house."

"Did that mess of hair break anything?" Su chuckled.

Lin didn't respond with a laugh. "No. Thank the spirits."

"Were you guys training or something?" Tenzin rubbed the back of his neck with a somewhat forced smile. "Because you could have just done that here on the island."

Both Lin and Bumi looked at the airbender with a confused expression. The future recruit, more aware of what Tenzin was doing than Lin was, only allowed a small portion of his smirk to show. "Jealous much, little brother?"

"What? No. I was just wondering."

The eldest Bei Fong quirked an eyebrow at her best friend. "You aren't going to say something stupid like you missed me are you?"

"No!" Tenzin was frazzled. "I was honestly just curious."

"Well since you are being nosy, if anybody asks, Lin and I were making out back at the house."

Tenzin and Suyin were punched directly in the face with the news. Lin couldn't help but glare at Bumi wondering what he think he was doing. For all Bumi was worth, the young man was smarter than he looked. He had created very elaborate pranks back in his younger days. What had caused him to be so blunt and straight forward was beyond Lin's knowledge.

Su gagged. "You and Bumi? Lin, really?"

Her older sister just growled and closed her eyes.

Tenzin on the other hand approached his brother with a fierceness that none of them had seen before. The airbender was inches away from Bumi's face. "What do you think you're doing?"

"What does it matter to you?" The older of the brothers laughed.

"I can't believe you would stoop so low to making Lin one of your many lady friends. Who says you can disrespect her like that?"

Bumi frowned. "Lady friends? Listen here, baby brother, I may have an impressive reputation with a large portion of the female population of Republic City, but I do not disrespect them."

"I don't want you doing those things with Lin. I will not allow you to just use her for your pleasure."

Lin decided to interrupt. "Tenzin-"

However, Bumi beat her to it. "Hold up. I think my little brother has a problem with the way I treat my lady friends. You think I _use_ them? You think I'm an inconsiderate sleeze?"

"It would explain why you have never been able to keep a girlfriend for more than a week."

Not appreciating the way Tenzin was speaking to him, the eldest son of Avatar Aang responded coldly. "At least I've had a girlfriend, twerp."

"Stop it you guys." Lin tried to pry them apart with her hands, but the two were stronger than she anticipated. They had shook her off, hard enough to make her stumble backwards. Su made sure to catch her sister's fall.

"You're just mad that it was Lin. Your pathetic little crush doesn't give you the right to call your own brother an asshole."

Lin looked at Tenzin and then at her sister after hearing what Bumi had stated. Suyin just looked at her indifferently and turned back to their friends.

Tenzin didn't know if the heat on his face was from his anger or from him blushing with embarrassment. "I don't need a right. You are one by your own doing."

"That's right, isn't it?" Bumi let the sarcasm drip into every word. "Because I'm the problem child. Tenzin and Kya are the perfect ones. They get live out Mom and Dad's legacy blah, blah, blah. It's no surprise that I turned out to be a troublemaker and deadbeat not knowing what to do with my life. So he goes out chasing girls all day and all that junk. Guess what, Tenzin, I already know that."

"Hey, that's enough!" Su was the one that yelled at them this time. "You guys are acting like idiots."

Lin stood up and screamed at all of them. "It's not real, damnit! Bumi and I never made out. It was just a stupid cover that really did not need to be announced to everyone. Bumi."

The eldest out of all of them just smirked. "I don't care. Tenzin obviously had some things to say and I bet air boy feels better getting it out into the open. Love you too bro."

The airbender seemed to have deflated partially due to being relieved at Lin's information, but the upset expression on his face indicated that things were not over. "Whether it was real or not, Lin isn't some item that you can use in whatever idiotic problem you have gotten yourself into."

"It wasn't his fault, Tenzin. It was mine." Lin stated before they could continue.

"You are a bad influence on her."

Bumi had enough. "Do you hear yourself right now? You are trying to come up with such petty excuses. Dad would be proud. You got that cut and run technique down solid. Just admit it: you're jealous!"

"I am not!"

"There is no use hiding it. This whole thing could be over with just three simple words. I'll give you a hint. It's 'I was jealous.'"

"Shut up!"

"You've embarrassed yourself enough, little brother."

The air whipped up around them as Tenzin finally snapped. The fury in his face definitely resembled his mother on those particular days. "I am not jealous! I have nothing to be jealous for! Its's just Lin. But that doesn't mean you should be treating girls the way you do. So stop acting like an imbecile. Stop fighting with me. And stop saying that I'm jealous because I am not!"

Suyin didn't exactly know what happened next. The only thing she remembered was the intense pause in the conversation. After Tenzin's out burst, Su had looked to Bumi first. The future recruit had his gray eyes lingering on Lin. He had obviously figured out Tenzin's mistake in choosing his words. Next, Su looked at her older sister and recognized the familiar way she clenched her fists and gritted her teeth, gestures she had seen too many times over the years. However, instead of being directed at her, the anger was now directed at the second airbender alive in the last one hundred plus years.

The moment the words left her mouth was when everything got hazy. "Lin, don't-"

The rock that hit Tenzin in the stomach wasn't some hand sized stone. It was on the border of being established as a boulder. The airbender flew backwards several feet before skidding against the ground of the training area. Lin didn't hesitate before bending a large chunk of the training ground above her head and making her way to Tenzin who was still laying on the ground. Suyin thought quickly and kicked it out of her sister's grasp, sending the chunk of stone towards a tree. Lin looked back at her with the same fury she was harboring for both of the avatar's sons. The younger Bei Fong just got into a stance, ready to fight her sister. If she was going to beat the crap out of someone, she would rather it be her than one of the two remaining of the air nation.

"What's going?"

Lin disappeared underground quicker than Su realized. And now, when Aang finally arrived in the training ground, all the avatar saw was Suyin facing the still groaning Tenzin in her earthbending stance. Lin was no where to be seen while Bumi stood behind her with an indifferent expression on his face. The younger Bei Fong just groaned out loudly.

"What is happening out here?"

That would be her mother and Katara. Well, it wasn't like she had anything to lose. She was going to get in trouble nonetheless.

Suyin quickly turned around and punched a similar sized rock at Bumi's stomach. The non bender was sent flying symmetrical with his younger brother.

She shook her head. _Idiots._

* * *

><p>Lin waved a hand into the air when she spotted Su enter the noodle house. It was fairly late for dinner, around nine o'clock. But Lin wasn't exactly on the island at the time dinner was served. Suyin approached her with a scowl and slid into the opposite seat from her. Lin just slurped her noodles.<p>

"Late dinner?"

She rolled her eyes at her younger sister. "Wasn't exactly in the mood to eat for the past couple of hours."

Suyin let her head rest in her left hand. "Where exactly were you these past few hours?"

"Here and there." Lin swallowed. "Anywhere but the island. I'm sure it didn't look good after I left."

"What else is Uncle Aang supposed to think when he comes out with me in a fighting stance facing Tenzin on the ground. Mom and Aunt Katara came out after that and I thought, hey, I was already going to get in trouble, so I let Bumi taste what Tenzin got."

Lin couldn't help but smirk at her sister. "Nice."

"But you know," Suyin started. "I don't appreciate taking the heat for everything."

"What did Mom do?"

"Take away my metal cables for the week. I can't practice dancing until I get them back."

Lin just looked back into her bowl. "Sorry."

Suyin grabbed the bowl and pulled it over to her. She took the chopsticks and began feeding herself. "Which is exactly why I sold you out."

The older of the Bei Fong sisters slammed her fist on the table. "Su!"

"Oh please, they were going to figure it out eventually. Bumi isn't a very good liar and we all know Tenzin was going to tell the truth in the end. I'm surprised Mom, Aunt Katara, and Uncle Aang fell for the 'we were making out' story. Everyone knows that you like Tenzin." Suyin spoke with her mouth full of her sister's noodles.

Lin fought off the blush as hard as she could. "I do not!"

Suyin's eyebrow rose. "Really? Then I guess the way you reacted to what Tenzin said has nothing to do with your crush on him."

"I don't have a crush on him."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, Lin."

"Anyways," The oldest out of the two of them said. "What did you tell them then?"

"The only thing I knew about this whole thing. You and Bumi said it to cover up for something. It made sense to Mom and Aunt Katara because they started freaking out over some letter. I sorta stopped listening after that."

"Damnit." Lin pinched the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes.

Her younger sister continued to eat her meal. "I'm sure you guys are going to be able to talk it out soon."

The eldest Bei Fong didn't open her eyes. "Was she following you?"

"Of course she was. She always does whenever we're out at night without letting her know. She should be here in like five minutes. I got kind of lazy to pay attention to where she was exactly when I got closer to Chang's. I don't know how Mom deals with big crowds. All the vibrations and bustling. It makes my head ache." Suyin grabbed the bowl and began drinking the soup. She ignored her older sister's glare.

At that moment, the chief of police entered the establishment wearing a long coat tied at the waist. Toph's hair was down, making her unrecognizable considering she never went out without her hair up in its usual bun. Lin just watched her mother approach the table, a seat already ready for her.

Toph sat down in the third chair and sniffed at the air. "Don't tell me you finished all of the noodles."

Suyin placed the empty bowl on the table. "Too late, Mom."

"Whatever." The chief of police slumped back into her chair. "I'll just have some-"

There was tea set down by one of the waitresses before Toph could even finish her sentence. She gave no indication of surprise.

"Well, well, well. Looks like someone was expecting me."

Lin just rolled her eyes at her mother. "You're welcome."

The master earthbender poured herself a cup of tea and took several sips. The bustling of the restaurant was the only thing filling the silence of their conversation. Su was the first one to start the conversation back up again.

"So, what is this letter I'm hearing about?"

"It's nothing." Toph answered back at once.

Lin scoffed at her mother's response. "Nothing? Only a letter from my father, obviously."

The chief of police set her cup down, seeing that this conversation was going to get intense really fast. "He is not your father, Lin."

The youngest Bei Fong looked at her mother in surprise. "What? So is he mine?"

"He is not your father either, Su."

"Whoever, sent you that letter hasn't seen you in sixteen years. I'm fifteen, Mom. Plus it's obvious that you and this Satoru character were together. All facts point to one sign: this man is my dad."

Toph continued to hold in her anger, instead letting out sarcasm. "Wow. Well aren't you an excellent detective."

"Good enough to be on the police force?" Lin asked suddenly.

Toph just answered under her breath. "We'll see."

"So she's right? This man is really her dad?" Suyin asked slightly worried. "It makes sense to me."

"No!"

"Stop lying to us, Mom."

The restaurant shook from Toph slamming her foot on the ground. The customers looked around trying to find its source. All three of the Bei Fong family remained still, trying to not attract attention to themselves. After several minutes, the climaxing sound of conversation around them returned. Suyin looked at her sister and found her scowling at her mother. She couldn't blame her.

A finger came at both of the Bei Fong sisters. The two flinched back, their usual response. "Listen you two. I don't want you guys exploring this any more than you have. You will _not _read my private mail again. You will _not_ give a second thought about your fathers. And lastly, you will _not _go looking for them. There is nothing worthy to see, I'll promise you that."_  
><em>

"Whatever." Lin had mumbled under her breath. Su didn't know if she said it on purpose or didn't want their mother to hear it. Nonetheless, Toph had super hearing for a reason.

The chief of police had picked her cup up once again and sipped. "Even if you did try, you wouldn't know where to start."

The eldest Bei Fong sister scowled. "I have my ways."

The crumpling of paper entered both Lin and Su's ears and they found an envelope between their mother's two fingers. Toph had put it away just as fast as she had brought it out. "Even if I am blind, I still know that mail has addresses on them. I'm a detective too, you know. It's literally in my job description."

Not one of her daughters spoke out.

"Well then. It seems like we're done here. Be home before twelve."

And with that, Toph left her girls. She was not surprised when she felt them make their own way home five minutes later.

* * *

><p><strong>There you go! We got some not jealous Tenzin (so he says), indifferent Bumi (or does he have feelings?), and two defeated Bei Fong girls. I hope you enjoyed reading! I was supposed to be working on my other story but I was too excited for the next chapter for this one. Reviews are like watching Lin and Suyin fight in the finale. I feel so honored. (:<strong>


	14. Unintended Discoveries: Part 4

**Disclaimer: I don't own atla or lok**

* * *

><p>Bumi let his head rest against Lin's back. The young earthbender just shook him off violently. "Get up, idiot."<p>

"Lin, I shouldn't be up right now."

The older Bei Fong ignored the twenty year old's complaining and continued to peer around the corner. The police station was bustling with activity at the moment, the perfect cover from their familiar heart beats. Being extra careful, Lin had ordered both herself and Bumi to wear wooden shoes. Of course, the nonbender complained even more.

The groan from behind her caused the vein in her head to start becoming visible. "Will you shut up? You promised me you would come with me."

"But Liiiiiin. It's just so early."

Her hand came to slap him on the back of his head. "Bumi. It's eight o'clock at night."

"Exactly. I'm nocturnal. I don't get up until at least nine."

Lin breathed in and out. She counted to ten hoping that her intentions to bury him deep into the earth would compress. When she finally got to one, she turned to look again and got both excited and nervous at the sight of her mother. Bumi followed and the two were peering over the corner. Toph stood with her arms crossed, the look that she usually gave Lin and Su when they were fighting on her face. It was evening with only a matter of time until the mysterious Satoru would show up.

Lin still remembered her mother's clear warning a couple nights ago at the noodle house perfectly. At the time, it had shook her, but Lin, being the determined person that she was, decided to go through with her plan anyways. If it pissed her mother off more, the more satisfied the young earthbender felt (at least that's what she told herself).

When she finally looked back, she found the avatar's oldest son giving her a quizzical expression. "What?"

"Well," He avoided eye contact. "what are you exactly trying to accomplish here, Lin."

"I'm trying to see what my Dad looks like. Simple enough for you?"

"Okay, and then what happens next? Things can't exactly go back to normal."

As much as she hated to admit it, the idiot was right. Lin was studying to be a cop. There was no way she would let the mystery of her father, one that intrigued her for years, stay partially unsolved. Before coming here, Toph's oldest daughter had tried her best to convince her self that all she wanted was a glimpse. That was it. Standing against the police station building while counting down the minutes didn't make her so sure she could just let it go. Nonetheless, Lin Bei Fong stayed in denial. "Don't worry about me. I'll be fine."

Bumi decided that there was no use in arguing now. He opted to just readdress the topic later. The future recruit tried to lighten the mood. "Knowing your Mom, this guy must be big and bulky. No way would she go for someone so pathetically wimpy."

"Shut up, Bumi."

"No really!" He was getting too excited for her liking. "I'm trying to imagine it now. The guy is from the earth kingdom, obviously, wearing a green tunic, pants, and boots. His arms are huge, needing his sleeves to be torn. He is bald because all tough guys sport the bald look. He has a scar running down his chest probably when he pumbled a guy."

"Are you done?"

"Almost. Lastly, he doesn't wear shoes. Just because. I'm sure it's what won your Mom's heart."

Lin's eyes widened. "Since I love to burst your bubble: wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, and wrong."

Bumi scowled at the older Bei Fong. He hated it when she would put him down like this. "And how would you know?"

She didn't speak. Her finger just pointed out towards the scene.

* * *

><p>After sixteen years apart, Satoru would never not admire his former wife. Toph Bei Fong amazed him the first time they met and at this very moment. She hadn't changed much. The master earthbender had the same tiny figure and Satoru knew that underneath the fabric and metal were toned muscle. He was sad to see her hair up in its usual bun being one of the privileged to see her long locks flowing all over the pillows. What brought back most of the nostalgia was the scowl the chief of police wore on her face. The engineer couldn't help but smile.<p>

He approached her and the two stood five feet away for the first time in years.

"Hello, Toph. Thank you for awaiting my arrival."

"It was no trouble at all, Sat."

He raised an eyebrow seeing that he was anticipating a punch in the stomach. "Really?"

Her expression didn't change. "Literally. My office was only a couple strides away."

"Ha. Ha. Very funny. Nonetheless, if you had really been acting like the woman I married, you wouldn't have moved an inch."

Toph rolled her eyes. "Well the woman that you more or less _divorced_ is much more considerate. Id rather not hide like a coward and pretend like I wasn't here at all. I mean, that would be just cruel."

And there it was. The hit had landed right into his ribs. "Ouch. You know we are still technically married."

"Hmph. Not in my book." The familiar smirk tugged on her lips.

"Shall we talk over tea?"

"Yup. In my office."

He frowned slightly. "I was hoping we could do so in a tea house."

Toph had already turned around, hands held behind her back in a dignified matter. "Technically I'm still on duty. And no one will question me if our conversation gets...a little out of hand."

Satoru swallowed and followed obediently.

Back behind their corner, Bumi was shaking Lin from her sense of shock. The young woman had her eyes glued on the tall man with glasses and wavy black hair that matched her own. He wore a collared gray shirt and gray pants along with long brown boots. His sleeves were rolled up showing the man's toned muscles. She wondered if he was a bender, and if he was, what kind of bender. His hands were bare, but Lin could spot the brown gloves stuffed in his pockets. She almost fell the floor before she can ponder on the man any longer. Her eyes darted towards the avatar's oldest son.

"What?!"

He had his arms crossed with a scowl she didn't know he was capable of. "Alright. You saw him. He is a very handsome man. Let's go."

Lin frowned in return. "Come on, Bumi. You know we can't leave now."

Then all of a sudden, she was off the ground.

"Hey! Put me down!"

"Watch it. Someone might call the police on us. We wouldn't want Mommy finding out you were spying now, would we?"

Her hand pinched his ear and Bumi fought the urge to drop the fifteen year old hanging over his left shoulder. "Damn, Lin!"

Her voice had pure venom. "Put. Me. Down."

Bumi had watched his Uncle Sokka deal with the original of the Bei Fong women for years and if there was anything that he had learn from the man, it was not to let up. He knew Lin was not ready to hear the conversation going on in her mother's office and if he had to lose an arm to keep her ears away, so be it. "We are going back the island, Lin. You've seen enough of that man for your lifetime."

"Are you kidding me?" Lin's natural instincts must have left her as she had not sent him flying by now. "I haven't seen him at all."

"Can you please trust me for once?"

"I don't have any reason to!"

"Well-"

Bumi's eyes widened as the earth beneath his feet suddenly disappeared. Their bodies fell into the hole, just big enough to fit them. Lin was too surprised to do anything at first, but when she finally shook her shock away, she bent a platform outward from the side of the hole. The avatar's eldest son hit the platform hard causing him to yell out. Before he could take a breath, Lin fell on top of him knocking more wind out. The earthbender's head lay face down next to his. His hands came up to shake her. With his left, he lifted her head and practically shrieked at the sight of blood running down the side of her face, indicating she had hit the platform head first. Lin's consciousness was already gone. Bumi felt the ground leave him again. This time he clutched Lin's body as they fell into darkness.

* * *

><p>"So, what brings you to my city?"<p>

"I told you why I was here."

"I don't believe you."

Satoru quirked an eyebrow and tried to lighten the atmosphere. "I thought it was Avatar Aang's and Fire Lord Zuko's city?"

The chief of police scoffed. One of her feet was put up on the table while the other was set carefully on the ground. Toph held a steaming cup of tea in her hands. Satoru knew her though and she would not hesitate to throw the hot liquid on him in a heart beat. Even after almost twenty years, Satoru was unsure of Toph's level of rage. He was one brave man to face Republic City's chief of police.

"This city would be crawling with criminal activity without me and my police force."

He tried flattery. "Well, I heard the force is very impressive. I'm sure you deserve the reputation you guys have built for yourself. You've always held up quite the reputation."

A hand came to her chest. "Why thank you. That makes everything so much better."

"Really?"

"Yeah, if I were a good for nothing sissy. Oh wait, that's you."

Round two had just begun.

He set his tea down on her desk and crossed his arms as he sat in the seat opposite her. "After so many years, you are still mad."

Toph followed and put her cup down as well. Inside, Satoru sighed with relief. "You bet your ass I'm still pissed."

"I'm sorry, Toph. How many times do I have to say it?"

"You don't have to say it at all." Her feet were both planted on the ground now. "Because there is just no way that I'm forgiving you, idiot. Especially when you send your apology through the mail, not visiting once to tell me in person. Of all the things. You had to apologize through letters?"

"What's wrong with that?" He fought back.

"I can't read, dipshit!" Satoru could have sworn he felt the earth rumble. "I had to get Sokka to read them to me."

He pinched the bridge of his nose and adjusted his glasses. "Please, can we not bring him into this?"

"Oh, not this again."

"We were married, Toph. But somehow and some way, you were always spending more time with him. Out drinking, talking, sleeping over-"

The chief of police's hands came down hard on the metal desk. "How many times do I have to tell you that nothing happened?!"

He stared at her. "Just like how you won't believe my apologies, I'm not convinced. You really want to ask why I lied about the explosion? Well, maybe I couldn't stand the neglect any longer."

"Neglect? Satoru, we were married for a reason. I don't make decisions like that just because I felt like it at the time. You and I both know that I am way smarter than that. I knew what I was doing. I knew what I was getting myself into. And I knew that I loved you."

"You know, in the year and a half that we were together, I have only heard you say that a total of three times." The engineer was standing now, ready to battle his wife. "Look, maybe I made things too dramatic by not showing up after the explosion at the refinery, but I had a purpose. Living my life with you was the best thing in the world. But living in Republic City where he was constantly there, where you were always busy, it was obvious you had no time and mentality for a husband. I didn't deserve that. I cut and ran when I had the opportunity."

"By pretending you were dead?" The response was a half a whisper and half a yell, Satoru wasn't all too sure. "You made me think you were gone. I thought I was walking all over your ashes when I finally investigated the explosion. How could you make me think that?"

"Toph-"

Her voice was booming once more. "_How_ could you make me think that!?"

He stayed silent after the question. Now that Satoru thought about it, maybe he took his leave a little too far. "Toph, I'm sorry. But I was suffering."

"Do _not_ talk to me about suffering. You left. You gave up."

Satoru was about to walk straight up to her, however, the man that burst into her office stopped his feet.

"Chief. We have a situation."

Toph's fury did not lighten at all. "What is it?!"

Satoru could see the officer flinch back at his chief's screaming. "Uh, there is a man at the front saying something crazy."

"Like?"

"He said he just saw two teenagers get swallowed by the ground."

* * *

><p>There was a slap to his face.<p>

"Ah!"

"Bumi."

The future recruit of the United Forces opened his eyes and found himself staring at darkness. He blinked several times while shifting his body. Under him, he could feel the familiar texture of wood. His arms stayed wrapped tightly around the body on top of him.

"Bumi, are you alright?"

That voice sounded too familiar, like one he had been living with for the past sixteen years.

"What happened to Lin, Bumi?"

Now, that voice sounded like a twelve year old girl that had been annoying Lin since she had been born.

Digging into his pants, the nonbender brought out a box of matches he kept on him for emergencies. Skillfully, he used one hand to strike a single match against the box and brought the lit match into the air.

Suyin and Tenzin stared back at him, their faces and bodies covered in red.

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><p><strong>And there we go. What is going to happen to the kids? Toph and Satoru? Find out next time! I hope you enjoyed reading. Tell me what you thought with a review!<strong>


	15. Unintended Discoveries: Part 5

**Disclaimer: I don't own atla or lok**

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><p>Several officers watched as their Chief's face crinkled into the scowl that they had all learned was not her normal everyday one. Toph had different types of scowls. There was one for when she was annoyed. There was one for whenever she would argue with Councilman Sokka. There was one for when she was mad. However, her officers only saw this one scowl on rare occasions. The last time was when they had brought in Yakone after the trial. Toph may have been in a sling and crutch, but she gave him hell. The scowl they were seeing now on her face matched what she had looked like before she went into Yakone's cell a few years ago.<p>

The man in front of Toph was cowering with fear. He backed away, but just ran into the metal plates of several officers. He whispered to them desperately. "Am I gonna die?"

The officers in turn didn't respond. Their fearful faces answered his question.

On the opposite side, Satoru licked his lips nervously. He had been standing next to Toph for the last five minutes. Being the nearest to her, he could have sworn the ground beneath him was creating a low rumble. He looked over at the chief of police and found one of her arms crossed across her chest while her other was up near her face, her fingers pressing hard into her skin. He knew that scowl as well.

"I'm sorry." Toph blew out a large breath of air that everyone assumed she had been holding in since she had heard what the man had to say. "You are going to have to repeat the whole thing to me again."

"But-"

"Now!"

The man scurried towards Toph and stood a safe distance of five feet from the chief of police. "I-I was just walking down the street when I saw two teenagers mucking around. There was, uh, a girl over the boy's shoulders-"

"What did they look like!?"

"He looked like he was twenty!" The man hid behind his arms. "The girl was fif-no wait- no she was sixteen, maybe? Black hair. The boy had brown hair and was growing a beard. I don't know. The girl had green eyes. That's all I saw before they were swallowed by the ground!"

Toph stood there, a low growl escaping her lips. Both her arms were crossed tightly across her chest, trying to restrain herself from destroying her own police station. "The girl. Short black wavy hair. Bright green eyes. Around five foot five. One of these," She pointed at her scowl. "on her face most likely. The boy. Unruly hair. Patchy hair all over his jaw. Gray eyes. Around six foot something."

"Yes! Yes! That was them, ma'm."

The chief of police strengthened her frown once more. "What happened next."

The man began stepping backwards but answered her. "They were fighting a-and then they just fell into the ground. When I got over there, there was no hole or anything. They were just…gone."

He shrieked at an octave he didn't know he was capable of as Toph bent the ground underneath his feet closer to her. Their faces were a feet apart. "You are going to show me exactly where you saw this happen once I get my team ready. For now," A chair used for waiting visitors came towards them at once. The chief of police sat him down. "you are going to wait here. Somebody! Watch this man!"

The crowd of officers scattered, some going towards the control room and a number to guard the man. Toph turned on her heel and stomped her way back to her office, her husband silently following. When the two entered her office, Satoru felt the metal door swing inches away from his body and slam closed.

"Listen, I actually need you to go. Bye."

He put a hand on his hip. "Yeah, because I got that message by the way you shut the door with me on _this _side of it."

Obviously, Toph was too frustrated to think about the mistake. "It doesn't matter, damnit! I don't have time to argue with you today. This conversation was pointless anyways. I am right, so just leave, Sat."

Instead, Satoru responded with a question. "You seemed to know the description of the victims fairly well. It wouldn't happen to be one of your daughters, would it? And by the way you know the description of the boy, he must be…what…a boyfriend?"

"Wow. You know, you would have made a decent cop. Too bad you wasted your talents on engineering."

"I couldn't have been entirely right."

"You're right."

"I am?"

"Yeah. You're right that you're wrong. It's a family friend, not a boyfriend. His brother is the boyfriend."

Satoru sighed. "Oooooh. So close."

Toph was turned around and facing her desk. Her hands fidgeted with fixing the metal spools at her waists. Her head lowered so that her bangs could hide the amused smile starting to grow on her. She shook it off at once. _No, no, no. _"Didn't I ask you to leave?"

Satoru put a hand to his heart. "I'd be happy to help, Toph. I'm not useless."

"Really?" She turned around and leaned on her hand set upon the metal desk. "And what could a grease hog monkey like you possibly help with on a rescue mission?"

"Well, if they went underground, then obviously we are going to be searching the sewage system. I don't know if you remember, but I did help Sokka draw up those plans with the architects years ago. I'm sure it hasn't changed much. If I can get a copy of the blueprints and with your seismic sense, we should be on our way."

His reasoning had almost convinced her, but she wouldn't let him win that easily. "Sokka's here. I could just use him."

"Of course _that_ wouldn't be a problem." He mumbled under his breath. Unfortunately, being born blind meant highly developed hearing.

"And what is _that_ supposed to mean?"

"Nothing, nothing." Satoru had decided he would save the screaming matches for when they were actually arguing about something he cared about. "But anyways, two people are better than one. Especially when that one has been working on the council for the last decade. He'll be a bit rusty."

"Hey-"

"You know I'm right, Toph." His arms crossed. Game set and match. The low growl that emanated from her throat was all the satisfaction Satoru needed. "So this is what it feels like to be needed."

"Alright, smart ass. Listen here." The chief of police walked up to him violently and caused him to bend backwards slightly. She had always been the dominant in their relationship. For Satoru, that wasn't necessarily a bad thing depending on the situation. But as of right now, it was terrible. "Just because you proved a point doesn't mean you can start spewing out shit comments like that. _You _are still wrong and _you _will always be, get the picture? I don't think you understand the amount of hatred I have for you, especially standing over you right now. That's right, I'm standing over you because you were the mistake I made all those years ago. Nothing else that happened after you gave up on this," Her finger pointed between them. "was a mistake. It was _all_ you, _Sat_. You were definitely the mistake."

The fire fueling her fury was stomped on when she felt his hand come and grab her wrist.

Her ears twitched at the recognizable chuckle. "I honestly forgot how beautiful you are when you're mad."

Now, it was Toph's turn to start leaning back in an effort to get away from him. "Fuck off."

"I also forgot how…attractive it was when you used such foul language."

She only gave him silence, lost for words. Toph didn't struggle like this with anyone. As much as it killed her inside, Satoru wasn't just anyone.

Just as sudden as the gesture was, Satoru released her wrist from his clutch. The chief of police backed away until her thighs touched the desk behind her. On the opposite side, Satoru dug his hands into his pocket, a neutral expression on his face. "I'm sad to hear I was a mistake for you, Toph. I don't regret marrying you at all. You were right. I didn't just come here for a visit. I was anticipating a…reconciliation of sorts."

His words were the oxygen to bring her fire back to life. "You must be out of your damn mind if you think I'm ever going to get back together with you."

"You've made that quite clear, Toph."

"I don't give people who fake death second chances. At least now I know that if you really did die in the explosion, I wouldn't have to think about giving you a second chance."

He sighed. "If I had died that night, maybe you'd still love me."

"Well you didn't, so we'll never know. As of right now, you are just wasting my time."

"I wasn't expecting you to run into my arms and forgive me. I knew that for sure."

Toph just scoffed. "Well, I wouldn't stoop down to such cliché actions in the first place."

Satoru just ignored her comment and continued his explanation. "Nonetheless, I still want to be friends. You have always been the easiest person for me to talk to. No matter how much you acted like you didn't care, you always listened. I don't have anyone like that for me anymore. So you may say that getting married was a mistake, but meeting you all those years ago wasn't. We were friends first before anything complicated happened. Let's just go back to that time."

But she knew that things couldn't go that way. Everything got permanently complicated for an important reason and Satoru had no clue that they would be searching for that reason in a few minutes. That reason was lost somewhere in the Republic City sewage system.

"Get out of the way."

"Toph, please-"

"No really." The chief of police took it upon herself to clutch Satoru's clothing and pull him to the side, away from the path of the door. Seconds later, the metal door to her office were shoved open and three individuals stood out of breath.

"Toph, you aren't going to believe this-"

She interrupted Aang at once. "The kids are missing. Yeah I got the memo."

Katara hugged her husband's arm worriedly. "We can't find Tenzin or Su- what is going in here?"

Sokka followed in her sister's shock. "What the hell!?"

Before Toph could explain anything, the chairman of the council had already closed the distance between himself and the man still being touched by her hand. The water tribe warrior's fist pulled backwards and collided with Satoru's face, sending the engineer straight to the ground. Sokka stood over him with his fist still clenched as he watched the engineer spit out drops of blood.

"How are things, Sokka?"

At that, he picked Satoru up by his clothing and pushed him hard against the wall of Toph's office. "Just dandy. I've been wanting to do that for years."

"The pleasure is all mine."

Sokka turned to Toph who leaned against one foot, arms crossed. "What is this dumbass doing here?"

The chief of police looked indifferent. "He's visiting, apparently."

"What do you think you are doing? You are going to wish you had died once I'm done with you." He pulled his fist back once more.

Aang jumped at his brother in law at once and pulled him off. Sokka twisted and fell back towards his sister. Katara caught him before he could fall all the way down. What the group didn't expect was the avatar to turn towards Satoru and blast him with air, sending him to hit the back wall hard. The engineer just groaned.

"Aang!" His wife yelled in surprise.

"How could you do that to Toph?!"

The chief of police had had enough. Her metal cables flung out of the spools at her waist and wrapped her childhood friend effectively restraining his arms and legs. She bent the cables to force him down to the ground. "Alright, you are going to cool it, Twinkle Toes. Two dumbasses in my office are enough."

"Hey! Who are you calling a dumbass?!" Sokka yelled back at his best friend. Katara just rolled her eyes and bent some water out of her pouch. She brought her brother's arm to a spot on the wall and froze his hand to the metal walls. "What the-"

"Shut it, Snoozles."

The healer in the room made her way to Satoru on the floor. She checked carefully making sure nothing was broken. When she determined that he was only suffering with a minimum amount of bleeding from his mouth and a slight headache, he left him to speak with Toph. "He'll be fine."

Katara watched the pale jade eyes roll. "I don't care about that right now. Did I hear you right earlier? Tenzin and Su are missing?"

"Yeah. Tenzin isn't one to not leave a note. Furthermore, he doesn't usually go out this late at night. Suyin was with him on the island so I could only assume they were together."

"Well isn't today just my lucky fucking day."

The waterbender winced at her language but nonetheless, questioned her. "Why? You're saying that like there is something else wrong."

Toph's hand came up to wipe her bangs away from her face for a minute. "I got some fantastic news for you, Katara."

"What?"

"Lin and Bumi are missing as well."

Aang, Katara, and Sokka all yelled out in sync. "WHAT?!"

Toph sighed frustrated.

The avatar attacked her first with questions. "Why didn't you call us immediately? Were you just expecting us to come here?"

"Ugh. My old husband comes back from the dead, one of my kids is gone along with the avatar's first son, I'm relying on a frightened old man to guide us. You tell me how you can focus on anything with a day like mine." Toph scowled fiercely. "And now as a total, both my kids have disappeared along with the avatar's only sons, one of them being the only airbender born in the past one hundred years. I think I'm about ready to retire."

Katara's hand came upon her shoulder. "Well, we're all here now. We are going to find them. Once we find them, we find the people that took them and my motherly instincts are going to kick into full gear."

"Absolutely." Toph's eyes narrowed.

The two women released Sokka and Aang from their restraint. The men got up silently without retort. They brushed off their clothes and stood by both Toph and Katara.

Satoru pushed himself onto his feet. He spat on the floor one more time. "I thought you were assembling a team?"

Toph laughed in the perfect way to make her former husband feel immensely stupid. The chief of police gestured at the three people surrounding her.

"This is the team. Always has been."

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><p><strong>I can't stop writing for this story. The plot is really vivid in my head. So obviously this chapter focuses on Toph and the others. I promise the next chapter is just for the kids. I can't wait to write that chapter either. So what do you guys think? Leave a review and tell me how you think this arc is progressing! Is the gaang going to find the kids? Who captured the four of them in the first place? Is Team Avatar going to be able to cooperate with Satoru with them? We'll see!<strong>


	16. Unintended Discoveries: Part 6

**Disclaimer: I don't own atla or lok.**

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><p>"Bumi! Put that out!"<p>

"Why?" He lit another match.

"Stop it you idiot!"

"I can't see a damn thing!" Another match.

"Stop!"

The avatar's oldest son dropped the third match and closed his eyes. The two youngest of the group were terribly annoying.

Tenzin's voice is what came out of the dark first. "Do you not know where we are? We are in a wooden cell. I don't think lighting it on fire would do us any good."

"Burning the bars wouldn't do us any good?" Bumi questioned his brother's logic.

He didn't expect a hand to slap his head. "Of course not you moron. The smoke is going to collect in here and the only other way out is through that platinum door."

"The walls. Aren't they metal or earth?"

"I already checked. We are surrounded by sewage pipes which are currently carrying nothing but water, trash, shit, amd piss."

The airbender in the room rolled his eyes. "Language?"

"Don't make me mad when we are stuck in a confined space." When put into a situation, the similarities between Lin and Su were scary. They really seemed like sisters at the moment.

"Ten," Bumi tried to reach over and grab his shoulder, but the darkness effected his sense of direction. "Can't you just air slice the wood?"

"And then where would we go? We would still need to get out through that door." Suyin pointed even though no one could see the gesture. Irked was not enough to explain her current mood.

Bumi's mind ran through any other solutions. Growing up, he had heard stories of his uncle being the one with the plan. Several of his ideas had saved Team Avatar in the past, so Bumi tried to channel his uncle as best he could. They were related after all. However, the only thing that popped into his head frightened him.

"Wait, why are you guys covered in red?" The future recruit's voice cracked. "Is that...?"

There were two large sighs in the air. The thirteen year old spoke first.

"We didn't go on a killing spree if that's what you're thinking and no, we aren't injured either. We fell into a crate of berries."

The oldest out of all of them calmed his heart at the news. He wondered how he hadn't asked that the first time. "Thank the spirits." There was a slight pause. "Wait, you guys ended up in a crate full of berries?"

Tenzin crossed his arms. "We fell off of Oogi. There was someone shooting at us. Before we knew it, Oogi was flipping backwards. Whatever it was coming at us, had frightened him. Luckily, we were near the shipping docks and so happened to land in an open crate of berries."

"Who was shooting at you guys?" Bumi asked.

"We don't know. But it wasn't boulders coming at us. They were tiny and fast." Suyin answered.

"I don't get it."

Su and Tenzin replied in sync. "Neither do we."

Bumi shifted slightly. He let Lin's head rest on his lap, not knowing what damage had been done from their previous fall. "So how did you two end up here?"

Again, the two answered together. "Drugged and captured."

"Then we woke up in here." Tenzin informed his brother.

The youngest Bei Fong added her own response. "Ta da!" She wiped a loose strand of hair away from her face. "Now its your turn for story time."

The answer was a low groan that came into the air. Bumi quickly pulled out another match, arguing with his little brother about using it, and then lighting it right above their heads. The three leaned over and watched Lin's face contort.

Tired eyes opened and the scowl that hit her face had brought relief to the others. "Crap, I'm not awake yet. I'm still having that nightmare."

Tenzin grabbed her and pulled her into a hug. "Thank the spirits you're alright."

Lin groaned once more, not appreciating the concern at the moment. Bumi yelled at his brother. "She's concussed, idiot."

"How ya doing, big sis?"

The older Bei Fong's eyes widened. "Su? What the hell are you doing here? And Tenzin? Holy shit, are you guys bleeding?"

At that moment, the match burnt out and they were blanketed by darkness once again. Bumi was getting tired of all this.

"It's berry guts. We were shot down and captured." Suyin answered her older sister. "How about you guys? How did you guys join the party?"

Lin realized she was still leaning against Tenzin and slowly moved away. The darkness concealed the airbender's frown. She cleared her throat and rubbed her head. "We fell down a hole. And then captured, obviously."

"Who do you think wants us?" Tenzin asked quizically.

"I don't know, but they are gonna get it when they come back." Su sneered.

Lin couldn't help the smirk that came to her face. "Wow, Su. You know people might actually think we're sisters now."

"Shut up."

"Make me."

"So why aren't we out yet?" The way Lin had said it sounded like disappointment.

In the dark, Suyin rolled her eyes. "Prison made of wood, sewer pipes filled with crap surrounding us, and a platinum door."

"But how are we getting breathable air?" Even though they couldn't see a thing, Lin, Su, and Tenzin turned in the general direction of Bumi's voice. The future recruit had a hand at his chin, rubbing against the coarse hair. His mind was working, gears turning. "We're underground if we are surrounded by sewage pipes. Mom, Dad, Uncle Sokka, and Aunt Toph will hopefully start looking down here as I'm almost certain someone saw us fall into the ground. Especially near the police station. But the question still stands. How are we getting clean air?"

The other three had no clue.

"No one? I can only assume you are shaking your heads." A slap in the head made him to drop the attitude. "There must be air vents."

Suyin and Lin made their way to the bars of their cell. Each Bei Fong put a hand to the wall outside and felt the large amounts of metal that were the sewage pipes. Focusing closely, the two felt a boxed vent in the upper right hand corner of the room.

"Well, well, well. Bumi, you aren't so stupid after all."

Tenzin walked over to them. "Did you find it?"

Lin removed her hand from the wall and leaned against the bars. "There is one in the top right corner of the room. I'm assuming Su got confused since it felt like all the other snaking metal around. It's just big enough for us to crawl through. Hope no one is claustrophobic."

"I wasn't confused. I was still in shock."

The older Bei Fong just snorted.

"Woah, woah, woah. Before we start with that, we have to stay here."

"Why?!" The younger three exclaimed.

Bumi sighed with irritation. "Alright, we get out and then what? How are we going to report who took us? Let's just wait it out and see. Whoever these people are, they are going to show themselves eventually. They always do."

"And if things get worse? Like we get tortured? People know who we are. People know who our parents are." Lin informed him.

"That's just it." Bumi moved closer to them near the bars. "We're a big cash prize. Especially with Tenzin. They aren't going to kill us."

The twenty year old did have a point.

"Fine." The three answered.

There was a silence between the group members. It was indication that everything was agreed on. Tenzin fiddled with his fingers, Su continued to feel the wall, Bumi was thinking carefully, and Lin was rubbing the side of her head. The weight of the situation had made her forget about the headache that continued to assault her skull. She wasn't going to admit the nausea she was feeling seeing that they had enough things to worry about.

The older Bei Fong brought her hand back and gagged at the wet substance coating parts of her hand. "I don't think that's berries."

Tenzin was at her first, feeling her hands for whatever she was describing. He felt warm stickiness. "You're bleeding."

"We need to wrap her head with something." Bumi began patting his clothes for some type of cloth.

The airbender in the room had already ripped part of his robes off. "Come here."

Lin cursed under her breath when she squeaked at Tenzin's hand grabbing hers. She really hated whatever was going on between them. She had to keep reminding herself that she was still mad at him. Cloth came to her head and she waited as Tenzin gently tended to her wound. Another rip sounded in the air and within seconds later, cloth was cleaning her hand from the blood.

His voice was deep and low when he spoke. "I'm sorry."

She tried to make her unamused grunt convincing. "Whatever."

"I didn't mean what I said. I probably deserved the boulder you chucked at me."

"Well some other girl may have stopped there, seeing that you think of me as just another girl. You probably deserved more."

Tenzin flinched at the attack of words. She was surprised to hear him chuckle. "I'm glad you aren't angry enough to not insult me. Then I'd be really concerned."

Lin grabbed the cloth from his hands and began cleaning up herself. "Don't doubt me. You are just really asking for it. This whole week has just been getting on my nerves."

"Did you see him?"

"Who?"

"Your're dad?"

She tried glaring in his general direction. "That's no concern of yours."

"Well, Suyin and I followed you for a reason."

"What?" The venom in her voice was evident. "You two followed us?"

"I was-"

The older Bei Fong growled loud enough for the other two in the front of their cell to begin listening to the conversation. "This is your fault! You and Su aren't supposed to be here at all."

"Well, I'm sorry if coming to make sure you were okay was such a crime."

"Now our parents are going to be beyond panicked! You two should have stayed put and let me deal with _my_ problems."

"Hey!" Suyin joined in the argument. "This may concern your dad, but that doesn't mean what you're doing is a bright idea."

Lin yelled back. "You were asking questions about this guy the other night! You were just as curious as me, Su, and I wouldn't be surprised that if the tables were turned, you would have done the same thing."

"This guy probably doesn't even know you're alive, Lin. There is a reason he isn't in your life anymore."

The older of the sister's scowled hard. "The way things are looking, it seems to be all Mom's fault."

"Woah, you haven't even heard the story yet, Lin. You've only seen the dude." Bumi interjected.

"Yeah!" Her voice targeted him. "That's because of you. If we would have continued following them, we wouldn't have been in this mess."

The future recruit was feeling the anger build inside him. "Yes, because having Su and Tenzin stuck down here by themselves would have been any better."

"They weren't supposed to be following us in the first place!"

"Well they were and I am sure glad as hell that we went and got captured too. Don't tell me that you aren't glad you are down here with Suyin and Tenzin. If we hadn't gotten captured, you'd be flipping your shit!" Bumi countered.

Lin growled, but no comeback came from her.

Tenzin just had to butt in at the end. "I think we are just stressed out with this entire day. So-"

"SHUT UP!"

Their out cry had coincidentally triggered the door to turn and open bringing large screeching into the room. The four had to shield their eyes, the light coming in too sudden. Once they regained their vision, there were two men carrying lanterns with them which casted the light on the woman in the middle. She looked to be around her mid thirties. Her hair was dark brown while she wore very red lipstick. Her dark piercing green eyes were nothing like Lin or Suyin's. They looked more sinister. The creepy smile didn't help either.

"Hello, everybody. Enjoying our stay in casa wooden box?"

"Who the hell are you and what do you want with us?" Lin shouted as she shot forward.

The woman faked a concerned expression. "Well isn't that just a pity. You're injured."

"Thanks to you."

"The pleasure, dear, was all mine."

Bumi stepped forward and clenched the bars. "Answer the question."

"Aaaah." The womam approached him. "You must be the avatar's first son. You certainly got the looks for daddy."

"Think so? People do say I remind them more of him than Baldy over there. Would you like to find out if the rest of me compares as well?"

Lin yelled over to him. "Really? Right now? And with her?"

"Mhm. I like you." The woman moved back to Lin who now had Tenzin standing very close to her. "I'd say the same for you. You have quite the fiery attitude that is very attractive. But it seems we don't play on similar teams." She eyed Tenzin. "Boyfriend doesn't really approve either."

"Leave her alone."

Yun observed the young monk for a minutes. Her eyes studied the tattoos, robes, and gray eyes. The extra attention only made Lin want to rip the woman's head off even more. "You are almost the spitting image of your father. But like Aang Jr. said over there, you seem too serious. You seem more like a hundred years old rather than your daddy."

"Who are you." The airbender asked fiercely. "And what do you want."

"The names Yun. Don't really dig last names. And I already got what I wanted."

"And that would be?" Lin said irritated.

"Bait."

Suyin slammed against the bars, tired of this woman's calmness and evil intent. "What do you want with our parents?"

Yun walked over and bent at the waist to get face to face with the thirteen year old. "The youngest one. Pretty smart too. Figured out that I didn't really want you guys but your good for nothing parents in only five minutes. At least Toph didn't give birth to a dumbass. You seem like a very fun gal."

Lin pulled her sister away by instinct. "Don't even try anything. I'll smack that damn grin right off your face and onto the ground."

"I can see why you boys like hanging around the Bei Fong girls. They are a riot. Makes me almost want to come in there and join the fun."

"Please do. I'm sure we'll find something very interesting to do with you." Bumi wiggled his eyebrows.

"Yes. I really do like you." Yun winked at the future recruit. Bumi smiled. "But as tempting as that sounds, I know you are just trying to get on my good side so that you can pull one over me. But please, continue the flirting. It's very flattering."

Bumi frowned. "I don't think we're going to work out, babe."

Yun moved her eyes back to the two Bei Fongs who both looked about ready to tear the cage apart. She chuckled. "Now then. I came here to do a quick little chore."

"And that would be?"

The woman didn't answer. Instead she unbuckled a holster on her belt and pulled out an L-shaped weapon. There was a click and Yun eyed Suyin directly.

Bumi tried to get a closer look at the weapon. "What in the world is that thing?"

"Invented it myself. I call it a gun."

"And what, shall I ask does it do?"

Yun pointed it at Su who was scowling very hard at the weapon. In a split second, the gun was pointed down at Suyin's legs.

BANG

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

Su fell on the floor clutching her left thigh. She hissed and struggled getting in air as her body was going into shock. The sobbing started soon after. The pain was way different than anything she had experienced. Her bending told her that whatever was stuck in her leg was a piece of metal, fairly deep into her flesh as well. With the last of her strength, she tried bending the metal out of her body, but Su just screamed at the siring pain than radiated throughout the area near the wound. The thirteen year old just cried. Cried so much.

"Su!" Lin got to the floor and held her sister. Tenzin and Bumi scrambled over to help as well.

Yun put away the weapon and motioned for her men to leave the lanterns. They apparently deserved a little bit of light. The group made its way to the door. They walked and she talked out into the air.

"Those girls were going to give me the most trouble. With both of them injured, I have nothing else to worry about."

Her laughter echoed once more.

"Get ready Team Avatar. You got something new coming your way."

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><p><strong>Guns in the avatar world, what? Yun what a sly fox. But she's likable maybe? I don't know. You guys tell me haha. Up next: Team Avatar traveling through the sewers with very high tension. Also, is Su gonna live? Thanks for reading guys!<strong>


	17. Unintended Discoveries: Part 7

**Disclaimer: I don't own atla or lok.**

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><p>Toph halted.<p>

Everyone behind her just stopped and looked at each other. Aang and Katara shared a confused look while Sokka gave the chief of police's back a questionable expression. Satoru was the only one that approached her and spoke. "What's wrong?"

They had only just entered the sewage system and they had already put a pause on their search. Toph breathed deeply and answered. "Uh, nothing. Let's keep going."

"Nothing? I know that there is definitely something." The engineer walked by her side. The three in the back cautiously followed while listening to the conversation.

"It was nothing. Let it go." Toph picked up her pace in hopes that her former lover would back away. She should have known his persistence better.

Satoru took a risk and placed a hand on her shoulder stopping the group once more. "Come on. Really, what's wrong?"

Sokka crossed his arms and looked at Satoru smugly. "She obviously doesn't want to tell you so why don't you leave her be?"

The engineer put his hands up and raised an eyebrow. "I was just trying to help."

"Yeah, well, we don't exactly appreciate compassion from someone who pretends to be dead. Like she said, let's keep moving."

The two men were able to stand eye to eye being the same height now. Satoru tried giving the councilman a fierce look, however, seeing that it wasn't in his nature, failed completely. Sokka just smirked at the mistake. The engineer wouldn't be one up-ed by Sokka of all people. "I don't hear your concern about her. Excuse me for being a friend."

"Friend?" The deep laughter echoed through the sewers. "Don't make me laugh, buddy."

"Maybe we should just keep looking. We aren't doing any good by staying put. We don't know what or who is down here and I'd rather not be a sitting turtle duck." Aang offered.

Katara followed her husband's direction. "Toph and I will take the lead."

The waterbender made her way towards her friend who presently was pinching the bridge of her nose in frustration. She grabbed the chief of police's shoulders and turned her back around. They walked in front of the men who she left to be baby sat by Aang.

"So what's wrong? Why did you stop?"

"I had those...what do you call them? Motherly instincts. I felt like something bad happened."

Katara comforted her at once. "I'm sure you are just worrying too much about the kids."

"Funny, I thought you'd be the one freaking out."

The waterbender just sighed. "Oh I am. I just thought with your dead husband here, Sokka ready to tear his guts apart, and Aang surprisingly in the same boat, you'd be a bit stressed."

"Not the exact search party I was hoping for." Toph started.

The older woman couldn't help but smile sympathetically at the earthbender. "I had forgotten it was the twentieth today. More so, I thought you'd be out at a tea house rather than talking in your office."

"What's wrong with talking in my office?"

"Seems a little more private than tea houses don't you think?"

Toph scowled. "And _what _are you exactly implying here, Sugar Queen?"

Katara flinched slightly at the harshness in her voice. "I'm just saying, would it really look good if you beat his head in while in private? I mean at least at a tea house people would just think that he was a good for nothing ex."

"He is a good for nothing ex."

From behind them, Satoru's voice shouted out. "I can still hear you."

Toph yelled back. "Don't care!"

Katara grabbed Toph's arm and walked faster to distance themselves from the men. Thankfully, Aang got her message and stopped the other two men from catching up. The waterbender kept her arm linked with Toph's. "Why is he still here? I thought you were going to set him straight."

"I did." The chief of police argued back. "He's never actually been scared of me."

Katara couldn't help but start laughing quietly. "Looks like you really did meet your match."

She wasn't prepared for Toph to grab her arm tightly making her squeak at the blood flow stopping. Toph spoke softly, but forcefully. "You know, we are surrounded by metal pipes."

"And also gallons upon gallons of sewer water. Take your pick."

The chief of police let her go and the two friends continued to walk through the sewage system of Republic City. "When did you learn to be so snarky?"

The waterbender flipped her hair. "I learned from the best."

"You bet your ass you did."

The two women laughed.

* * *

><p>"What do you think they're giggling about?" Sokka whispered into his brother in law's ear.<p>

The avatar just cocked his head to the side, place his hand at his chin, and pondered the question. "Don't know. I never know what those two are thinking sometimes. They are just as scary when they are working together."

"Do they still fight often? I can still hear the screaming matches from years ago." Satoru chuckled.

"Why do you care? You left her years ago, Four Eyes." Sokka frowned at the engineer. Aang could have sworn he saw Satoru's glasses steam up. "But if you really _must_ know, yes, the two still fight. If anything Katara has gotten more fearless with Toph over the years."

Aang's eyes lit up at the memory that passed his mind. "Like the time, Toph watched the kids and let them have sweets. The two ended up fighting for a straight hour in Toph's backyard. The place was destroyed."

Satoru questioned the avatar. "And you didn't pull them off each other?"

"For the ones that _stayed,_ we know that stopping his wife," Sokka gestured towards Aang. "and Republic City's chief of police is the worst idea in the world. The sight is as ugly as Aang's beard."

The monk faced his brother in law with frustration. "My beard isn't ugly! Katara likes it."

"Riiiiiight."

"Oh yeah? What do you call that thing on your chin then?" Aang went as far as grabbing the councilman's goatee, earning him a yelp from the watertribesman. It didn't help that Satoru laughed along with the avatar.

Sokka eyed Toph's former husband. "What the hell do you think you're laughing at?"

"Oh come on. That was funny. Wasn't that funny?"

Blue eyes met the brown behind his glasses. The engineer was unfazed by the fire that burned in the councilman's eyes. Satoru held his hands behind his back and allowed Sokka to talk down to him once more. "Alright, pal. Let's get a few things straight. You aren't supposed to be here. This issue does not concern you. You decided that this wasn't any of your business when you ran away from the explosion sixteen years ago. Don't act like things are all good and dandy, because it isn't. I'll say it again. You aren't supposed to be here."

"But I am here, Sokka. And I'm trying to make things right between Toph and I. But you know, the past really just can't let go because you are still wedging yourself between us."

There was a low growl from Sokka's throat. The avatar readied himself to get between the two men if it got that far. He had been repressing his own will to put Satoru in his place seeing that his brother in law had a greater grudge on the man. "Still crying the same old story then, _Sat_?"

"It's Satoru." A glare crossed the lenses of his glasses. He became even more serious. "Don't make me the only bad guy here. You had Toph stuck on you for years and you didn't have the heart to let her down easy. That's sick, _councilman_."

Sokka just gritted his teeth. "That's different. We're past that now. We've already talked about that. At least I didn't leave her when she needed me most, _asshole_."

"What are you trying to say, _Sokka_?"

The chairman of the council just stared at the engineer with pure hatred. If looks can kill, Satoru would be floating through the Republic City sewer pipes right now. But Sokka had morals. As much as he wanted to take this guy on right now, he didn't want Toph shutting him out. The fact that she would actually do it is what scared him. To add to that, it wasn't his story to tell. The water tribe warrior walked away before mumbling back his response.

"Forget it."

* * *

><p>"But really, Toph. You would have thrown Satoru out of the city by now. Why is he still here?"<p>

The chief of police walked several more steps before deciding to answer her friend's question. "The argument was interrupted several times. First, by Lin and Bumi going missing. Then, by you three barging into my office, although I'm more grateful for that one."

"Why?" Katara grabbed her shoulders at once, but continued their pace away from the boys. "He didn't try anything did he?"

Toph shook her off annoyed. "Of course not! There was no damn way I was going to let him do that. And if he did, he wouldn't be behind us right now." They were back to walking side by side. "We were in the middle of something."

This time, the waterbender's hands came to her mouth. "Oh my god, were you guys kissing? Or...were you guys-?"

"What the hell is wrong with you? Will you calm your lunatic imagination for once second?"

Katara didn't speak. Just waited for some kind of explanation.

"He was asking to be friends again. Like before he pretended he faked his death." Toph laughed. "The idiot thinks things can go right back to normal after everything. What a joke."

"And you said?"

"I didn't say a thing." The chief of police crossed her arms, a sign that Katara connected with discomfort. "That's when you guys came in."

Calming herself down, Katara talked to Toph maturely. "And you're grateful because you didn't have to answer."

There was no response.

The waterbender chose her next words carefully. "Do...you still want to be friends?"

"We can't be friends." The words had came out so quick, Katara practically stumbled at trying to hear every last bit of the sentence. She opened her mouth to further question the chief of police, but Toph beat her to it. "And don't even ask _why._ You know _why._ Everyone knows _why._ _Why_ is exactly why we are searching these damn sewers in the first place. Everyone but him knows _why _and that's how I'd like it to stay, thanks."

"I never said I didn't agree with you, Toph." She bravely put an arm around the short woman. Over the years, Katara had grown much bolder regarding how to handle Toph. Much to say, the earthbender was impressed. "The guy pretended to be dead after all. That's unforgivable. But it seems you are feeling conflicted right about now, so I can't really tell you to throw him out. You really not going to tell him?"

"No. Lin is _my _daughter and that's it."

"Alright." If they had been lounging on the island or at her home, Katara would have pushed the metalbender further into talking about what was really going on in her head. However, with the subject in matter walking only a couple feet away from them, maybe right now wasn't a great time. So she intended to change the subject.

Too bad Sokka thought otherwise.

Toph stopped walking. Not only did Katara have her arm around her, but now her brother did as well. "The both of you will get off of me right now if you still want to be able waterbend and throw that stupid boomerang of yours."

The water tribe siblings, slipped their limbs away. Sokka spoke softly next to her ear. "Can we talk?"

She just groaned and began walking again. Katara made her way back to her husband to help hold off Satoru.

* * *

><p>The two best friends walked away from the three behind them. This time it wasn't Toph trying to distance themselves, but the councilman literally pushing her away. Sokka had a hand on the lower part of her back and as much as she hated cringing at the touch, she did. Toph didn't shake it off though for two reasons: Satoru would hate it and she needed the comfort.<p>

Once they were a good couple feet away from the other group, Sokka talked quietly near her. "Toph, did that bastard come here to try and get back together with you?"

"Maybe he did. That doesn't mean he succeeded."

"Did you know he was coming?" He sounded partially angry at her. Toph didn't like the tone of his voice at all.

She moved away from him. "Look, I appreciate the concern and all about my emotional stability, but right now I'd rather not talk about that mess back there. He is just here to help with maneuvering through this hell hole. After this, he is going to go back to where he came from. Happy?"

"No. I'm not happy at all." He moved to come face to face with her. He walked backwards. "He can't come barging in back to your life like it's okay that he supposedly took his own sixteen years ago. You were in shambles, Toph. I would know, I was there for you. We all were. He wasn't, so why talk to him so casually?"

"Because I'm not a little kid anymore, Sokka. I'm not going to send him half way across the earth kingdom just because I'm angry with him. I'm not going to beat him up even if I say so. That isn't going to prove anything."

He groaned in slight frustration. "Yes it will. It will show him who's boss."

"Do you want to know what is going to prove that? My successful career. My title as a war hero. Lin. Suyin. All these things I've been able to accomplish without him. Letting his presence get to me like it is for you is not all too convincing."

"Me? You know exactly why I'm pissed right now. He hurt you, damnit." He looked at her blank eyes confused by the weird direction Toph's attitude had gone. She was supposed to be agreeing with him.

"Well, I'm the one that suffered and I'm doing a-okay. So get over it." She sighed in a way telling him that she really didn't want to have this conversation anymore. Sokka was persistent as ever.

"Yeah. You are taking all of this well." The councilman's mind began working and he gritted his teeth at his realization. "Unless you still have feelings for the bastard."

She rolled her eyes. Toph had mastered it over the years practically becoming her signature. "You're stepping over a fine line here, chairman. Best to drop the subject now."

"So that's it then. You still want to be with him."

The earthbender didn't answer, leaving yet another conversation about her former husband in the dark. Instead, her head turned just the slightest bit to the left and her ear twitched.

"Toph, answer me."

"Shut up, Sokka."

"So you do."

"Can you shut your yap for one fucking minute?"

"After everything you've been through, you're-"

The rest of his sentence was spoken into her hand. Toph focused on what she had heard and felt. After several seconds, she directed her speech towards Satoru."What's down that way," Her free hand pointed to the left corridor. "and to the right."

Slightly surprised by the request, the engineer fumbled with the blueprint he had in his belt. He looked towards Aang. "Do you mind…?"

The avatar lit a flame in his hand to improve the invisibility in the tunnels. Satoru carefully unrolled the blueprint and scanned their current location. He realized that they had actually walked for quite awhile and were now near the city limits. "There shouldn't be anything there other than some type of exit or something. We are at the border between Republic City and the Earth Kingdom so the pipes shouldn't extend any further but back towards the city. Why? What do you see?"

"Indentation into the rock of Earth Kingdom territory. There is metal, like it's some type of underground building connected to the sewage system about half a mile down that tunnel. I feel heartbeats."

"How many?"

"Wanna take a guess, Twinkle Toes?"

The avatar slammed his foot into the ground and focused on the vibrations. Although his seismic sense wasn't as good as his Sifu's, he still had the ability. No matter how old he got, he still felt a need to impress his former teachers with his bending abilities. "Thirty?"

"Thirty three. Not bad."

Aang smiled.

Satoru approached Toph and spoke. "Describe the building."

"There is a main center which consists of just a large rectangular building. Extending from its sides are six hallways consisting of about ten rooms on average. The entire establishment is about a hundred feet below the surface. There is one part of the building that I don't understand though."

"Hundred feet underground…" Satoru penciled in the measurement into the picture he had drawn on the back of the sewage system blueprints. "They must have ventilation systems. What's wrong with that one room?"

Toph's foot shifted slightly as she got a better look at the room. "It's a medium sized room compared to the main building, located in the back. I can feel the room, but I can't feel anything in it."

"That could mean a lot of things. It could be made of ice."

"Unlikely." Toph commented.

Satoru continued. "Platinum or another kind of pure metal."

"Too expensive for a place like this."

"Then it must be wood." The engineer began to sketch the room. "Now then, why would you have a room made almost entirely of wood in a building underground? What's its purpose?"

"Not the best building material to use underground. We learned that in the mines." Toph cursed at herself at mentioning the memory.

Satoru grinned. "Where we met."

"Do your job, idiot."

He stayed smiling but went on. "We have a wooden box underground in a facility most likely harboring two earthbenders, a nonbender, and an airbender."

The chief of police stood up straight. "It's a prison cell."

"Bingo. Now how do we get there undetected?"

Toph had already been walking down the tunnel. "We don't."

Satoru shook his head and followed her.

The other three stood watching the two walk away from them. They shared a look once they disappeared around the corner. Sokka spoke first. "What was that?"

Katara sighed. "Toph being civil towards her dead husband. That's what."

Aang coughed and commented. "Weird."

The three scurried after the mess that was both Toph and Satoru.

* * *

><p><strong>The new team avatar is just a mess right now. At least Toph and Satoru can get along when it matters. Maybe <em>too<em> well. Anyways, now the gang is off to find the kids. What are they gonna do when they finally find them? What happens when they meet up with Yun? Is Suyin still alive?! Thanks for reading! Leave a review if you feel like it (:**


	18. Unintended Discoveries: Part 8

**Disclaimer: I don't own atla or lok.**

* * *

><p>"Lin, this isn't working."<p>

The older Bei Fong yelled back. "Keep trying. We have to get out of here, Tenzin."

The young monk looked at his best friend sympathetically and turned back to the bars. He sliced at the air sending it towards the wooden bars. Strangely enough, the wood was unusually dense making it hard to cause critical damage. But Tenzin kept going. Not just because Lin was hounding him, but because Lin (although he was sure she hadn't realized it yet) was begging him.

He exclaimed out in surprise when Bumi's fist collided with the bars he had been working on. The crack that echoed in the room pumped adrenaline through their veins.

"Bumi!" The airbender stared at his brother.

The nonbender pulled his fist back once more and had it collide with the wood. The way Bumi hissed when his hand came back could not have upset Tenzin more. "Keep going, Ten. Keep hitting the same spot. I'll apply force on the same place and it should start to break."

"Bumi, you're hand is bleeding." The airbender stared at the red substance beginning to ooze from his older brother's hands along with the purple tint slowly framing his knuckles. "I can handle this."

"That's great, little bro." Another punch. "The fact that you believe in yourself like that." Punch. "But right now, I don't care. What matters now is getting Su help. Maybe even Lin. I don't know how much longer she can stand looking at Su. Hey, am I going to have to do this all myself?"

Tenzin quickly joined his brother, motivated by his words. Air alternated with fist. "No. Not at all."

"Don't worry about me, alright? Mom can fix this in no time. Although I wouldn't know if she would want to."

"Of course she would." Tenzin blasted the specific area of damage and wood began flying out. They moved on to getting the hole bigger. "There was no way we could have anticipated a mad woman coming after us. Do you recognize her at all?"

Bumi began using his legs to weaken the dense wood. "Not a clue. But she obviously hates Mom and Dad."

"She isn't exactly a rare case. Not everyone likes Mom, Dad, Aunt Toph, and the others."

"Well, her hatred is too intense. Not really my type. I mean the woman used that...gun thing. I didn't even know what happened until Suyin cried out."

Tenzin paused his efforts suddenly and when Bumi went to question him, there was fear in the airbender's eyes. "What was that thing? That can really hurt someone, Bumi."

He fought the urge to roll his eyes at his younger brother. "Thank you for pointing that out Monk Obvious."

"No. I know that it can hurt someone. What I meant...if she aimed elsewhere..."

Bumi understood Tenzin's struggle to use the word. He didn't want to think about the object hitting someone in the chest or head. He had already figured out the capacity of such a weapon. On a different note, the future recruit knew exactly why his baby brother was scared beyond his mind. One pull of the trigger and there was the end of any chance that the air nation could be revived. His gray eyes looked towards the Bei fong sisters. Watching them didn't help. Bumi grabbed his brother at once and hugged him fiercely.

"Nothing is going to happen to you, got that, little bro?"

"I'm worried about everyone else too-"

"You aren't gonna die, Tenzin."

The young monk relaxed in Bumi's embrace and wrapped his arms around him.

On the other side of the cell, Lin continued to whisper to Suyin who was struggling to keep calm. Even after an hour, the thirteen year old was still in slight shock. The pain was immense, no where near tolerable either. However, Lin had tended to the wound immediately, failing to remove the metal but managed to tie a piece of her clothing acting as a bandage. It was tight to apply pressure on the bleeding injury. Throughout the entire procedure, the worry in Lin's voice brought Suyin comfort. It was nice to know that when the time came, her big sister was there for her. Hopefully it wasn't a one time thing.

The two were currently seated on the floor. Su's head laid on Lin's lap and she was stretched out perpendicular to her sister's body. The older Bei Fong's arm was laying across Suyin's body, her left hand unconsciously rubbing Su's arm in comfort. Toph's youngest opened her eyes to see her sister's green eyes looking right back at her.

"You know," The youngest of the group took a shaky breath. "You're actually kind of pretty."

Lin's expression didn't change at all. "You're starting to become delirious." Her voice reached across their cell. "Hurry up!"

"Got it." Was Bumi's response.

"I think you're the one losing it, Lin. Maybe you got knocked in the head too hard." Su pushed herself to give a teasing laugh.

"I told you to rest. Even on the verge of death, you still don't listen to me. Damn you, Su."

The younger rolled her eyes. "Verge of death? Come on, this is nothing."

Suyin wasn't afraid to admit that she giggled when the familiar scowl crossed her sister's face.

"Nothing? Are you fucking kidding me?"

Her hand came up to her mouth and Suyin gasped obnoxiously. There was no medicine better than irritating Lin. She may be feeling better already (other than the radiating pain of a gun shot in her leg). "I'm telling Mom you cussed."

"Go ahead." Lin retorted. "I may get a raise in my allowance."

Whether it really was because she was starting to go crazy due to the blood loss or something else, Su laughed genuinely at the comment. "Oh god. Only Mom would. Of course she would."

Lin wasn't sure if she was mad or concerned, but she yelled at her little sister when she began to tense. The thirteen year old's face hardened and Lin could tell she was holding her breath. "What is it?"

"I shouldn't have laughed." Suyin exhaled and inhaled raggedly. "Holy..." She took several seconds to let the pain subside her newly developed tolerance level. "I swear if I lose my leg to this stupid piece of metal, I'm going to kill Yun."

"You are _not _going to lose your leg. We are gonna get out of here and find Aunt Katara immediately. The only thing you should be concerned about is the fact that you won't be able to dance for probably a few weeks."

"Are you freaking kidding me? I just got my cables back." Suyin closed her eyes and pouted. "And don't act like you don't want to kill that lunatic either."

"Mom and I are going to follow her into the spirit world just to make sure she made it."

"Great." Su relaxed slightly, her head pressing into her sister's thighs.

"What does that woman want with Mom, anyways?" When Suyin didn't answer her question immediately, Lin became alert. Su noticed this and tried to sit up.

The older Bei Fong placed a hand on Su's chest and forced her back down into her lap. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"I know that face, Lin. I've had to live with you for thirteen years, unfortunately, and during that time I learned a lot of things. That's your suspecting face. Now let me up, I'm getting a back ache."

Defeated, Lin helped her sister sit up against the back wall of the wooden prison. She observed Suyin cautiously as the young girl fought off yelling out in pain once again due to the movement. Lin ignored the obvious tears pooling at the corner of her sister's eyes. She forced herself to continue the conversation. "There is something bothering you about that woman. Spit it out."

She pondered on her sister's words. During the fiasco that was their first meeting with the wonderful Yun, Su had no time to reflect on how familiar the woman looked to her. Once they were back to sitting in their prison cell, she carefully visualized the woman's features and there was no doubt that she had never met Yun in real life. But a vague part of her memory had seen her. In the thirteen years that she had been alive, she remembered seeing her face. It was infuriating not knowing when and how. Suyin shook her head and went on to answer Lin's question. "I've seen her face before."

"You know her?!" Lin had said it loud enough that the boys in the front turned around at the outburst. They went to approach the two and join in the conversation, but Lin halted their efforts at once. "No. Keep trying. We have to get out of here."

Bumi stared into her eyes. His response was serious. "Talk loud then."

Lin waited for the sound of air and fist hitting wood before she allowed Su to start talking. "I've never met her, I can promise you all that. But I've seen her face. I don't know when, I don't know where, but I recognize her."

"Does that mean you know _of _her?" Tenzin asked as he sliced the wood.

"No. I really don't. I know her face, but that's it."

Bumi grunted as he hit the wood over and over again. "That isn't really much help, Bei Fong Jr. You sure you can't muster anything up from that memory of yours?"

_Think. Think. Think. _If she hadn't been stuck on the ground, Su would have been pacing back and forth. No longer was she frustrated by the fact that she couldn't recall where she had seen Yun. Now, the youngest Bei Fong was mad with herself. "I can't remember. But the Yun I remember wasn't that old."

Suddenly, there was large crack and crash. Lin covered Su at once, thinking that someone had come into the room and attacked. But when her eyes looked back up, she found Tenzin and Bumi standing over a good sized hole in their prison. The older Bei Fong got up and quickly stepped through it. Her feet touched the earth and she couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief. Leaving no time to enjoy the contact with her element, Lin put up a large stone wall up against the platinum door. Afterwards, she slammed her foot down and concentrated.

Her sister's voice snapped her out of focus. "What can you see?"

Lin whipped her head around and found Suyin standing with the help of Bumi. "You were supposed to stay put."

"Oh." Suyin formed an O with her mouth. "I didn't listen."

Lin rolled her eyes, but answered her sister nonetheless. "We're in a pretty large underground building. Through that door and down the hall is the largest compartment of the complex which could only mean it's crawling with whatever henchmen she has. The air vent stays pretty level with several attachments going to the surface, probably where the fresh air comes from. If we keep traveling horizontally, we'll make it towards a different part of the sewer system. That's probably going to be our way out."

"Is Su really going to be okay moving through such a small space with her leg?" Tenzin looked back at the younger Bei Fong who already had an expression of discomfort.

"Don't worry about me, air boy. I don't see another option."

"She'll just have to make do for now." Lin said the statement with no emotion, but her face showed a sign of concern for her sibling. "I'd say that we have another couple of hours before Yun checks on us again as long as no one heard the ruckus in here. We should be pretty far in the air vents by then. What I don't know is if they know where it leads out to. Hopefully there will be no one waiting for us at the end of the vent."

Tenzin stepped through the hole and walked up to Lin. "We'll make do."

"Yes. Yes we will. How's your head Bei Fong Senior?" Bumi asked trying to bring a little bit of humor into the situation.

Lin placed a hand on her hip. "Depends on what you're referring to. My concussion or my sanity."

"Both." The oldest of them all carefully picked up Suyin and gently maneuvered through the hole. "I just want to make sure you'll be ready for whatever is waiting for us at the end of the tunnel."

"Regarding my concussion," Lin hadn't realized the thumping in her head for awhile. Now that Bumi had brought it up, her head ache seemed to become more obnoxious. Tenzin's piece of robe was still wrapped around her head, but she had doubted she was still bleeding. "I'll make do. My sanity? Yun better watch out."

Aang's oldest son grinned. "Excellent. Is that gonna be our new saying now?"

"We're gonna have a slogan? Not really the time." Su asked through her gritted teeth.

The metal caging from the air vent bent and screeched then flew across the room. Bumi walked to the area right below the vent and was not even surprised when Lin bent him and Su up towards the entrance. The future recruit carefully pushed himself backwards into the air vent while pulling Suyin with him. The vent was tall enough for Bumi to sit straight up. He sighed at the thought of a back ache when this was all over from being hunched for a long amount of time. Suyin bit her lip at every movement. Not long afterwards, the two found Lin crawling into the space with Tenzin right behind her.

Suyin pushed herself to make a sarcastic comment. "Well isn't this just cozy."

Bumi stopped the groups movement to look back at Lin and Tenzin with the biggest smirk on his face. He enjoyed each word that left his mouth.

"We'll make do."

* * *

><p>Toph, Satoru, Aang, Katara, and Sokka stood still side by side.<p>

There wasn't much they could do considering that there were about twenty other guards blocking them from going further into the building.

Satoru looked towards Toph to his right. "Still think coming in undetected was a bad idea?"

The chief of police scoffed at her former lover. "I knew they were all in here. I was expecting this very situation to happen."

Sokka spoke from her left. "Okay, Chief. What now?"

"We fight, of course."

Faster than anyone could realize, Toph sent both her cables towards the blockade of guards. What they wrapped themselves around was not bodies, but a golden rod that was held up. Katara reacted at once and bent water towards the rod as well, intending to pull at it with her friend. Both women screamed out when electricity was suddenly conducted into their bodies. Toph and Katara fell to the ground. The golden rod sizzled with the remaining electricity accompanied by the sinister laughter of a woman.

"It must be my lucky day. I got a shock one get one free."

Satoru and Aang bent down to check on their respective partners while Sokka yelled out into the air. "Show yourself!"

"Oh I remember when you used to yell out like that for me. Quite the nights."

The councilman pulled out his boomerang and chucked it in the general direction of the mysterious voice. It caught him by surprise that a delicate hand, matching the one holding on to the electric stick caught it easily. The hands disappeared quickly and the voice began to travel around the large room.

"I gotta say. Team Avatar has really let itself go. Over confidence can't win every battle. Did you really think just charging in here was gonna scare the boys and I?"

Aang quickly blasted air towards the guards and they flew backwards instantly. But there wasn't a woman anywhere in sight. Only the sound of whizzing in the air.

Sokka yelled out at once. "Aang, watch out!"

The boomerang had not only hit the avatar in the head, but continued on its path to hit Satoru over the head as well. The men hit the ground groaning. Still conscious, Toph and Katara pushed themselves up to check on the men this time. Sokka put his full focus on trying to find their attacker.

"Another double hit? You guys must really be having a bad day. I don't think I'm going to get to show you my new toy."

"How about showing us yourself instead. I'll show you the kind of day I'm having."

The voice only giggled at the water tribe warrior's request. "Still funny as ever."

Sokka turned his head towards Toph. "Do you know where she is?"

The chief of police pushed herself up making the effort to stand. "Is there any wood in here?"

"Yeah there is a stack of wooden crates to your left."

"She isn't anywhere else."

The giggling echoed once more. Sokka searched the wooden crates and practically paled at the sight of the woman sitting on the highest crate. Legs crossed, electric rod being tossed into the air and back to her hand, she was just as Sokka remembered.

"Hello darling. Why didn't you ever call me back?"

Toph placed a hand on Sokka's shoulder. "Is that...?"

The councilman inhaled deeply before answering. "Because you're one crazy ass bitch, Yun."

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><p><strong>Sokka, what kind of people are you mingling with? Yun really is a lunatic. <strong>

**Being that this was my last weekend before school starts, I tried taking DragonGirl317's advice and try to get at least one more chapter out. This is what I got!  
><strong>

**Next time: Does Yun know that the kids escaped? What is she planning to do with Team Avatar? What past does she have with Sokka? And will the kids make it out?**

**Thanks for reading! Leave a review if ya feel like it (:**


	19. Unintended Discoveries: Part 9

**Disclaimer: I don't own atla or lok.**

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><p>If Toph could place the situation on her list of the most irritating occurrences in her life, this would definitely make top ten.<p>

"You still have that toned body I loved dominating over me. How do you do it, councilman?"

Yes, if Toph wasn't wasn't restrained by five guards at the moment, she would have her hands at the woman's throat right now.

Yun had decided that the proper place for her to talk to them was sitting on Sokka's lap. The councilman was currently tied up to a chair while their captor enjoyed her personal throne atop him. Aang, Katara, and Toph were being held down by several guards. Satoru sat alone, away from them. His lack of restraints had also added to the bubbling irritation Toph's mind was currently boiling. She wasn't stupid and she didn't like where any of this was going.

The woman on top of Sokka laughed before speaking. "How long has it been since we have all been together like this?"

"I'd say we met up too soon." Toph said confidently. The blow to the head by a weapon caused her to fall to the ground. She stayed conscious and forced herself to sit back up.

"Chief Beifong, for such a beautiful woman, I could just take you for myself. But sadly, you irritate me the most and I just can't have that in a partner."

"You don't have to worry. The feeling is mutual."

Yun ran her fingers through Sokka's hair. She had pulled it out of his ponytail earlier. "Well, the thing is, you annoyed me even all those years ago when this hunk of love and I were still together. Your pathetic little crush was nothing but laughable."

Katara decided to join the conversation. "What do you want with our children? They had nothing to do with whatever grudge you are holding on us."

"Oh but they got you guys here. Baiting you was much easier than planning to ambush each and every one of you." Yum smirked. "Besides, they were fun to play with."

Aang's features darkened. "If you hurt them-"

"The hurt has already been done, Avatar Aang. And I promise you that your precious little airbender was left untouched. I know when to stop."

Toph growled. "You better wipe that grin off your face or I'll do it my fucking self."

The nefarious woman put a finger to her chin. "Where have I heard that before? Oh right, one of your bastard children said the same thing to me. The older one. The one that never smiles."

"What have you done to her?"

Yun didn't even flinch at the chief of police's outburst. She just glared at the blind earthbender. "Mild concussion. Not even my fault really. It was her efforts to save herself and the flirty one. I do like him though."

The avatar leaned forward. "Leave him alone."

"You don't need him anyways. He can't bend. What kind of legacy could that idiot possibly leave?"

Everyone was surprised to hear Aang growl at Yun, a low fierce growl indicating a temper he only let loose a single digit number of times. "Take that back."

The lady raised an eyebrow, amused by the anger she had fueled in the peaceful nomad. She liked having this much power over some of the most important people of the world. "He's and idiot. A flirt. Normal. He is nothing but a mistake."

"Bumi is our son. He is intelligent and unique. And he can easily outsmart a bitch like you." Katara told Yun angrily.

Toph couldn't help but smirk. "Sugar queen for the win."

For the second time, the chief of police was struck down in the head. This time she hit the floor harder, but she still pushed herself to sit back up. Yun wasn't smiling this time. "Can't you take a hint and see that I would like you to shut up?"

"You see, when people tell me to shut up, it doesn't really work. So I'd say you are out of luck."

Toph hissed at the third hit, this time to her side by a kick. Yun's face was stoic. "I can do this all day, Chief."

"Nice to know, out of everything, you have persistence. I admire that. Your lunacy had to be compensated by some-" She was already back on the ground from the guard stepping on her back. "This is really cute."

The woman on the opposite side turned from her position to face Toph. "Let's talk about your persistence. I think the city and I know that you should have been waving your stupid cables around or burying me into the earth by now. What are you exactly waiting for?"

The chief of polices till managed to roll her eyes despite the weight on her spine. "A better opponent. That's what."

"Did you teach yourself how to do that to? Irritate people to the point that they would like to murder you?"

"Call it what you like." She grunted at another foot holding her down. "But my name for it is sarcasm. And art form in itself."

Sokka's ex girlfriend scowled. "I'll admit it. You are a true master."

"Damn straight I am."

"Yun, stop this. It's me that you want right? Let them go and we'll settle things alone." Sokka demanded. "This is our business, correct? I'm sure you weren't very happy with the break up."

The woman pulled violently on the water tribe warrior's goatee. Sokka couldn't help but let out a hiss as having the hairs tugged on was more than something he could tolerate. That's saying something since he fought in a war. Yun came inches away from her face. "That's quite an understatement, honey. How would you react when your boyfriend banished you away from the city? What kind of break up is that? Little harsh, darling."

"Stop," He flinched away. "getting closer to me. You know exactly why you were exiled. But why come back now?"

The flirtatious chuckle annoyed the group. "I came to do some business."

"Oh, don't tell me you produced one of your idiotic idea."

She kissed him on the cheek intimately. "I got exactly what I wanted. Isn't it, Satoru?"

Everyone turned to face the engineer who scowled at Yun. "What are you doing here, Yun?"

"Woah, hold the hell up. You know her? Never mind. Why am I not surprised?" Toph asked irritated. She had predicted as much.

"Sat, where else was I supposed to go? You know trade is big around here. And I heard their black market is fabulous." The woman smiled at him. She finally decided to get up and walk over to the engineer. Satoru flinched away when she decided to touch his face. "I'm going to make some big bucks thanks to you."

"I knew it." The heads turned towards Sokka. He had a feral expression on his face. "You weren't here for Toph. You were here for something else."

Satoru stood his ground. "That's not true."

"I'm trying to understand you now. Having dated that thing for about six months, I thought she was great being a council for commerce. But there was a reason she was ejected from her position. The woman is a nutjob. What would make you comeback to that?" He seemed to exhibit actual confusion.

Yun lashed out. "Your council has no sense of economics let alone common sense. I had brilliant ideas. Ideas that would give some of us nonbenders more power to have a say in this government. But did any of you listen. No. Not at all."

"Yun, your ideas were creative, but they were risky. It had the capability to start revolution in the city if advertised the wrong way." Aang explained.

Sokka decided that he should provide the hard truth. "You were crazy, Yun. You wanted to start a revolution."

"I don't care what you people say. I am right. And Sokka you were supposed to support me." The woman carefully reached into her side and slowly pulled out the gun. She admired it before addressing her audience. "This baby right here is what will finally put nonbenders in their proper place above you benders.."

Sokka narrowed his eyes. "What the hell is that?"

"I call it a gun. But if you want a more technical explanation, I'd like to hand it over to my business partner."

There was a pure minute of silence. Yun continued to examine her weapon and had left Team Avatar to glare at her confused. Of course, the chief of police broke the silence with an irritated revelation.

Toph pushed herself up off the ground, doubled over after her third attack. "That's right, Sat. Please explain."

The engineer reached for her from where he was situated. "Toph, please. You have to understand-"

"I understand quite well. I am a detective you know. I don't usually infer this far, but I'll give it a shot. Let me see if I got this straight."

"Toph, let me explain-"

"After you had went into hiding, you approached Yun with your crazy ass idea for whatever she is holding at the moment and you guys made a deal. You make the whatchamacallit and she sells them with you getting half the profit." The earthbender sneered. "Accurate?"

Satoru looked as if he were about to cry. "I didn't have a choice."

"Do _not_ give me that bull crap. Not only did you fake death, you went into business with that thing."

Yun rolled her eyes. "Chief, why do you always have to spoil the surprise?"

"Just like being told to shut up, surprises don't sit well with me."

"I've still got three up my sleeve."

Toph suddenly lashed out. "Listen here you dirty little slut, you have messed with our lives for the last time. Get your underground corporation out of the city along with your bastard of a business partner and never come back here again. The next time I see you in my city I am going to fling you all the way to Be Sing Se and make sure you never breath again."

The giggle she received only made her snarl. Yun cleared her throat. "Surprise number one. I helped Satoru escape the explosion that day because he asked me to."

The chief of police screamed at her ex husband. "You son of a bitch!"

"It was a mistake, Toph. Please!" Satoru begged. "That's what I came to talk to you about. I swear. I had no idea that Yun would be here. I told her I didn't want anything to do with this operation after I made the gun. I didn't need the money."

Toph, however, had already checked out of the conversation.

"Surprise number two." Before anyone could realize it, two loud bangs echoed throughout the room followed by a chorus of yelling. Aang, Katara, Sokka and Satoru stared wide eyed at Lin, Bumi, Suyin, and Tenzin falling from the ceiling and landing in a pile on the ground. Toph winced at the terribly loud sounds of the gunshots, too shocked to notice the familiar heartbeats of the kids. Yun smirked. "I knew they were crawling through the airvents. And so did you, Chief."

Toph shook her head trying to rid it of the buzzing headache.

Everyone watched as the gun was carefully aimed at the chief of police. The guards roughly picked positioned her with her chest protruding outwards, a perfect target.

"Yun, what are you doing?"

"Stop this!"

"Don't point that at her!"

"Mom?"

The trigger was already being pulled. "Surprise number three."

BANG.

Toph's body fell backwards.

And she didn't get back up.

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><p>Her body was paralyzed. She thanked the spirits that she had wrapped her arms around her younger sister before she was immobilized. Suyin on the other hand seemed to have gone into a similar state but accompanied with shaking. The younger Beifong was going back into shock.<p>

"Lin, she shot, Mom."

No response.

"Lin, she isn't getting back up. Where did she shoot her? She isn't getting back up, Lin. Why isn't she getting back up?"

Lin's head turned slowly to her sister. She could feel her eyes start to swell.

"She isn't getting back up, Lin." Suyin swallowed before her face finally broke out into a combination of panic and hysteria. "Lin, make her get up. She needs to get back up."

And just as suddenly as their hope vanished, their feet told them otherwise. The two shut up at once when they felt it.

On the other side of the room, the adult's eyes were pinned on Toph's still body. And so were the glowing eyes of the avatar.

The room began to swirl as air was circled violently around Aang. Katara, by instinct, ran over to the children as the guards were distracted and pushed them out of the way. Sokka was easily picked up by the windstorm and was tossed against the wall allowing the chair to break and free him from his restraints. He landed on the ground hard, but nonetheless had more than enough adrenaline pumping to sprint towards Toph and intended to force Satoru away from her body. The engineer was the first to her and was holding her tightly.

Aang rose into the air and bent more air. The fierce expression on his features screamed outraged.

In all of the chaos, Yun stood her ground refusing to be swept away. She watched as her guards flew about or were running and trying the best they could to escape. She yelled out at them. "You cowards. Where the hell do you think you are going?"

No reply other than a cry for help from one of the guards. Yun practically screeched.

"I must do everything myself, don't I?"

Trying the best she could, her arms rose with a great amount difficulty.

The gun pointed at the avatar's heart.

"You're finished"

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><p><strong>It isn't the longest chapter, and I know that isn't very good considering that I haven't updated in forever, but I got something right? I am so sorry for the delay. <strong>

**Nonetheless, everybody is back together again! Is that a good thing? No idea. You tell me how this situation is going.**

**Thanks for reading! Favortie, Follow, Review. Do what you please!**


	20. Unintended Discoveries: Part 10

**disclaimer: I don't own atla or lok**

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><p>"Damn, what hit me?"<p>

Satoru and Sokka were speechless due to shock. Their eyes were locked on the chief of police on the ground.

"What happened?"

Both men tackled Toph into a death crushing hug, not caring that they were embracing each other in the process. The earthbender pushed them off at once.

Satoru rubbed his eyes. "Thank goodness, you're alive."

"Don't scare us like that, alright?" Sokka helped her sit up.

"Jeez, you guys make it seem like I died." Her hands began palpating her chest area. "She dented my armor."

"We thought you were dead. You didn't get back up. I thought you were gone."

Toph rolled her eyes at her former lover. "Funny how irony works. Twinkle Toes would say this would be the karma you deserved for lying to me. Personally, it doesn't suffice. Universe has to try harder."

The councilman laughed. "I'm sorry. That was a great comeback."

Satoru didn't say a word.

"So again, what hit me. And are those...so the kids are alright?"

"Yun shot you with that weapon she had. They're fine. Katara got them to safety."

"From Yun?" She asked

Sokka shook his head. "Aang's glowing again."

"Because?"

"We thought you were dead."

Toph carefully stood up and shook away the effects of the impact. Both sokka and Satoru watched her carefully. "That explains the wind. We gotta show him that I'm fine. Then he'll come to his senses." Her body flinched. "Get down!"

The chief of police pushed both men back to the ground just in time to avoid a guard flying across the air. Their was a grunt of pain when the guard hit the metal wall.

Sokka looked from the guard and to the direction of its source. His eyes widened at the sight of Yin's arm coming up with gun in hand pointing directly at the avatar. "She's gonna shoot Aang!"

"Bitch better think twice." Toph shot a cable quickly at Yin's wrist. With one swift motion, the woman was pulled violently to the side, enough to remove the gun from her hand. Just like the guard, Toph didn't hesitate to throw Yun against the opposite wall. She didn't waste time and ran to wherever the wind was strongest. With the maximum force of her lungs, she yelled out to the avatar. "Aang! Look! I'm fine! I'm alive! You can stop!"

The airbender's head flinched at the sound of Toph's voice. There was a fierce expression on his face that was further emphasized by his glowing eyes and tattoos. Several seconds later, the wind began to die down and the avatar's power began to die down. His body drifted back down ready to touch the ground.

But you need feet to land. Yun decided otherwise.

Just as Aang was going to make contact with the ground, a gunshot was heard once more. The noise once again disoriented Toph. Aang's painful scream was heard as he fell to the ground holding his foot. Katara rushed to him.

The waterbender was obviously running on adrenaline. "Sweetie, are you alright?" She spotted the blood pooling under his left foot. "Oh spirits, she got you."

The avatar grunted. "It's fine. It was...it was just my foot. You can fix this, Sweetie."

Katara had started working on healing him before he could finish what he was saying. "Oh, she better watch herself because when-"

"Sweetie." Katara looked into her husband's gray eyes. He looked tired, like he always did after going into the avatar state. "Toph's got this."

Back to the chief of police, Yun was back up and growling at the earthbender. Toph had her usual scowl on. She was more annoyed than angry by her facial expression.

Yun screamed. "You. It's always you!"

"Surprise! Thought you'd seen the last of me?"

"You have always gotten in the way. Back when Sokka and I were dating, when I got banished, and when you finally had your bastard second child."

Toph became alert at once. "Shut up. Shut the hell up."

The mad woman had her eyes large with fury. "She shouldn't be yours. She was supposed to be mine. You took her away from me too. We were supposed to be a family. You took my family away!"

"One more word and I swear I am going to shoot this bullet in my chest to right at your face."

"She's so beautiful. Everything but her eyes. She has your eyes."

The chief of police was speaking low. "That's impossible."

"But it is. She was born with your eyes. Guess who fixed her? I did. I took her to a healer, better than Katara, and rid her eyes of your curse. The first thing she saw was her mother. Her real mother. Me."

"That was you?" Toph spoke in shock. "You took her? She was only three months old! You took my daughter."

Yun wasn't finished. "She was my daughter. You took her from me."

Suyin had been fighting the pain furiously, but her ears had picked up the conversation and the memory rushed back so fast, Lin panicked. "Su. What's wrong? Talk to me."

"That's where I saw her face. I remember."

"When she took you? I can't believe she took you, Su. You were blind?"

Suyin took several ragged breaths before responding. "I guess. I don't remember at all. But Yun was the first person I saw."

"That's right." Bumi joined in the conversation. "I asked why your eyes were broken. I couldn't remember Yun and you've been able to see for so long that I just remembered you like you could always see. But I remember asking that question."

"Why does she want Suyin so bad though?" Tenzin wondered.

"I don't know." The youngest Beifong replied. "I really don't know."

The chief of police stayed quiet even though her sensitive hearing picked up on the children's conversation. She put her focus on the task at hand. "Yun, you are messed up in the head. This is gonna end now."

"Yes. You being in the way is going to end tonight!"

Toph rolled quickly out of the way as she felt Yin's finger press the trigger. The whole time they were talking, Toph was carefully memorizing the shape and feel of the weapon the opposite woman possessed. With her highly developed seismic sense, she sensed the trigger being pressed. She carefully hid behind stacked crates and covered her ears from the gunshots.

Sokka had grabbed Satoru and his behind another group of crates. They persisted through the noise, silently hoping the kids had followed their example. Sokka peared around the corner and found the kids gone from sight. He sighed in relief

"The kids are hiding. Most likely."

Satoru breathed heavily. "Where?"

"If I can guess, in a similar spot like this."

The engineer nudged the councilman. "We gotta find them."

"No we gotta find a way to end Yun. Now. Her rampage has gone for far too long."

Satoru questioned his plans. "Are you sure? That's a large burden-"

"If we don't stop her now, she won't stop."

There was a minute of just non verbal communication between the two. Satoru knew he was right.

"Alright. I have an idea."

The two nodded in confirmation.

Toph removed her hands from her ears even though she knew the shots were coming. Nonetheless, she fought the headache and focused on metal. Her strength went to stopping the bullets above her and her hand went out to take control. Toph grunted when she felt the momentum of the bullet escaped the trap of her bending, enough to send her arm back to the crate. "Damn. Things are fast."

She tried an upfront approach at the next set of rounds. The chief of police got up from her spot and tried stopping the bullets face to face. But the effort was a failure making her duck down slower than she expected and getting grazed in the arm. She applied pressure at once. "Ssssssss. Mother of..."

The third attempt was nothing planned. Toph got up and hoped for the best.

She thanked the spirits when the flying metal stopped.

The bullets stayed suspended in the air causing Yun to be in shock. Toph smirked when she felt the presence of two other metal benders helping her.

She yelled out to the other side of the room. "I almost had it!"

Lin rolled her eyes. "Sure you did, Mom."

"I was looking for a thank you, but that's asking for a lot." Suyin said through gritted teeth. Her older sister was holding her up.

Yun threw the emptied gun towards Toph's daughters. The bullets rained down on the ground and Toph halted the gun's path towards Lin's head.

"Nice try."

The mad woman ran towards one of the crates and began clawing at the wood. Whether the strength came from her fury or from her adrenaline, she successfully splintered and scratched the wood. She pushed her arm into the opening, not caring at scratching the wood on her skin, and pulled out what she had been looking for.

The sound of a click and lock alerted the entire room.

"Alright. Since you didn't like that smaller one. How about we bring out the grown ups." Yun snickered as she finalized loading the shot gun in her hand.

"Don't do this, Yun."

Toph couldn't help but scowl at the feeling of her former husband standing behind the woman. Yun didn't even turn around.

"I didn't care if you said they weren't ready or not. We mass produced them with your experimental prototype "

"I've tested that one. You're going to end up killing yourself." Satoru began approaching her, ready to grab the shot gun. "You're making a mistake."

"Why do you love her, Sat? What makes her so special?"

It wasn't the time. Or the place. Satoru knew that for sure. But the muscles in his face fought his logic and he couldn't help the smile that gently stretched across his face. The engineer laughed in the slightest catching the ears of the chief of police. Her expression didn't change.

"Because she is my wife."

Toph wasn't affected on the outside.

"And I love her."

Satoru grabbed the gun put of Yun's hand and pulled it against her throat. The woman struggled under the choke hold. She clawed violently at Satoru, but the engineer didn't feel the claw marks on his hands or face. He still had his smile.

Sokka jumped from behind one of the crates and pointed a gun towards the two. Toph finally reacted when she felt him position himself.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Sokka?" The chief of police was ready to bend a cable and remove the gun from the councilman's hand, but the feeling of Satoru's finger on the trigger of his gun stopped her movements. "Sat-"

"For once, can you not try to dominate the situation, Toph?" Satoru asked playfully. "You move and I will pull this trigger. The last time I tested this, I shot myself through the shoulder."

Sokka scowled. "Let her go, Satoru. I got her covered."

"She isn't going to stop, Sokka. You gotta take her out now."

"That wasn't part of the plan! Choke her or something. Knock her unconscious."

"Plans change! And I cant bring myself to take her out myself. Like you said. I'm a coward. Just shoot the gun and it should blow up. She's packed it with a ridiculous amount of gunpowder."

Katara approached the group, Aang using her a crutch. The avatar yelled out. "Don't do this, Satoru. We can lock her up. Put her somewhere where she can't hurt anyone."

Satoru shook his head. "No, Aang. She's crazy. She has killed people. I've seen it. These things I've made, she's used them to kill innocent people. She has to go."

"That doesn't include you." Katara countered.

"What did Aang call it? Karma? Maybe this is it."

Sokka screamed at him. "Satoru, just move!"

"Just take care of her, Sokka. Alright? You're a good man. Better than I was. Take care of all of them." The engineer directed his speech to his wife. "Toph, she's mine right?"

The chief of police couldn't find the words to speak. She hated being out of control. "Satoru. Don't."

"Just answer me. Is she mine?"

"Yes."

The engineer turned toward's the person who answered the question. The oldest of the Beifong sisters looked at him with as much confidence as her answer. He grinned madly. "You look just like your mother."

Lin couldn't help but smirk. "At least I know where I get the wavy hair."

"Satoru, we can fix this some other way." Toph tried stepping in his direction, but the additional pressure of the trigger made her legs shake to a halt. "Stop dying like it's nothing!"

"I got guts, Toph. It's one of the tings you loved about me."

The master earthbender's lips trembled. "Love."

Yun's screech overpowered everything. She bit down hard on one of Satoru's hands and the engineer loosened his grip in pain. Yun grabbed the gun and pointed it at anything. That something just so happened to be Lin and Suyin.

"You're finished!"

The bullet was fired.

And the explosion threw everybody back several feet.

Once Toph hit the ground, she stayed conscious for about several more seconds. Her mind was strangely calm. She felt seven heart beats other than her own. That was good. Yun was gone from this world being at the center of the explosion.

Unfortunately, that meant he was gone too.

As her consciousness faded, Toph prayed to the spirits for once. She asked for forgiveness for bending the bullet from her chest plate to Yun and Satoru. She prayed that no one else was seriously injured. She prayed that everything was over.

Lastly, Toph Beifong prayed that karma would give Satoru a break and allow him to crawl away from all of this, whether that be away once more...or even back to her.

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><p><strong>I know. There is a lot of info in this chapter. But I'll explain everything in like one or two more chapters. Hope you guys enjoyed that! Thanks for reading!<strong>


	21. Unintended Discoveries: Part 11

**Disclaimer: I don't own atla or lok.**

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><p>Lin pulled. She pulled and pulled. She spat the blood out to the side and continued to pull.<p>

"Ugh..."

The oldest of the Beifong sisters kicked the person's head gently. "Tenzin, get up."

"Mm..ghhh..."

"Tenzin."

When he didn't come to, Lin didn't hesitate to slap him in the face. Once her hand made it across his face, the airbender jolted up and looked around. "What's happening?"

She crouched down next to him and wiped more ash and soot across her face. Lin had blood running down her face, meaning her previous head wound was tampered or she sported another. He couldn't stop himself from touching her face. "Are you alright?"

"Just alright. I need your help."

"Oh spirits, where is everyone?" Tenzin looked around once more. Lin pointed in a direction and found his mother, father, Suyin, and Bumi laying on the ground. He panicked. "Mom? Dad? Bumi-"

"They're fine. They're just unconscious." She helped him stand up when he seemed ready. Analyzing the area, Tenzin found a hole in the ground smoking. Lin didn't let him ask a question. "My Mom is still down there. I need your help getting her out."

He glanced at the hole. "Is the building on fire?"

"Do you remember Yun's gun exploding? Any of that ringing a bell?"

"Well, yeah. But..." The airbender's eyes glanced over to the bodies. "Have you been getting everyone out here?"

"No, I've been jumping in and out of that hell hole for fun." Her sarcasm caused him to flinch backwards. "Come on! My Mom is still down there and my lungs would really appreciate it if they weren't inhaling smoke."

"Of course."

The two hurried into the hole and not one of them hesitated to jump right in. They landed on a platform which Tenzin could only assume was used by Lin to lift and pull people out. The earth platform began to descend and he began to airbend the smoke away from them. After several seconds, they reached their stop. Lin guided Tenzin through the area with the use of her seismic sense. The two ducked under burning wood, dodged falling pieces of metal from the ceiling, and kicked through the piles of ash scattering the floor. Once they finally reached the very corner of the room, Lin pointed to the hand sticking out of a pile of wood and metal.

Tenzin began breathing quickly. "Oh goodness, is she alright?"

"Her heart's beating, so I'm guessing she's at least okay. Just keep the smoke away while I get this crap off of her."

He just nodded and focused on his assigned task, struggling a bit seeing as there was a limited amount of air to manipulate. Utilizing a large piece of metal, Lin used it to shovel the material off and chuck it in some unknown direction. More and more, Tenzin and Lin could see more of Toph's body. When the last piece of wood was removed, Lin pulled her mother's body away from the corner.

She groaned in annoyance, making Tenzin question her. "What is it?"

"Her legs are broken." Lin began splinting both of her mother's legs with some nearby wood that had once been burying Toph. "She is going to be in a shitty mood when she wakes up."

He couldn't help but chuckle in sorrow. "That's what you're worried about? What about the pain she is going to be in?"

"Trust me, her rage will just pump more adrenaline in her veins. She wont feel a thing for a while. Let's get out of here."

Once again, the two now with Toph trekked back to the platform they had rode on. Both of them took a breath when they got there.

"What about...you know?"

She didn't meet his eyes. "I didn't feel him. Or her."

He nodded.

Intending to elevate them back up, it came to a shock when Lin yelled with full force. Tenzin stopped bending and rushed to her. Sending a huge wind of the reamaining air, he paled.

"If you know what's good for you, you aren't going to try anything."

Tenzin stared back at Yun. The sizzled skin that covered her now was demonic when paired with the lunatic smile plastered on her face. Her burnt arm locked against Lin's throat and the younger Beifong struggled for air. He fought the frown and instead put on a fierce expression.

"Let her go." His body dropped into a fighting stance.

"Try anything and I'll make sure she doesn't breath our air." The burnt human directed her speech to the earthbender in her grasp. "Take us up."

Tenzin growled. "How is she supposed to do that with you choking her!?"

"DO IT NOW."

With her brain starting to die, Lin did the impossible and began moving the platform up. The closer they reached to the surface, the more she thought she was moving towards the light.

The platform reached the outside and Yun backed away with Lin still in her confinement. In clear air, Tenzin could finally see the gun being held to his best friend's throat.

The sick woman cackled. "What now, baldy? What the fuck can Team Avatar do for you now?"

A shot fired.

And Tenzin watched as Yun screeched in pain. She fell at once, releasing Lin. The airbender rushed to his friend and snatched her away from the lunatic. Once they were a good distance away, he held her as she coughed and hacked, getting as much oxygen as she could.

Back at the scene, Yun growled at the sight of Satoru pushing himself up with one hand, the only hand he had now and one that held the very gun that shot her in the abdomen. With the last amount of energy, Yun followed suit.

"What the hell are you doing alive?"

The engineer, half his head sizzling with burning flesh. "I...could ask you the s-same thing."

Yun held up her gun. "This time-"

Satoru's arm pointed backwards, aiming directly at the councilman's head. "Do that...a-and I'll do it. You know-grr-I will."

The two stood still.

Yun surprised him and spoke with less lunacy in her voice. "You and I aren't very different."

"You're rrrriight."

"Look at us," She gestured to them standing, flesh cooking. "Still fighting to be alive."

"I wouldn't if I-I didn't have t-to. Rather be...rather be d-dead."

She frowned. "We shouldn't be suffering. Not the two of us."

"At least...you c-can talk right."

"Hard skull I guess."

Satoru threw the gun into the middle of their stand off. "One of u-us is going to...drop. Fffew minutes, ss-seconds."

The guns clacked as Yun threw hers into the middle as well. "It's going to be you. I'm going to live. Do you know why that is, Sat? It's because I didn't let the neglect defeat me. Sokka never gave me attention. Not like the attention he gave that bitch of a wife of yours. But I didn't erase myself like you did. I tried at least."

"Th-that got you...where exactly?" He inhaled painfully. "You're jjjust as...c-close to death as I-I am.."

"I'm going to get my happy ending."

Satoru shook his head no matter how much it hurt. "He d-d-doesn't llllove you...Yun."

She lashed out. "He will. Sokka is mine. I've got money from the guns, I've got the looks, I even fixed our child. What more could he ask for? While you chase down your supposed wife, Sokka and I will be living our life. It's you that she doesn't love. That's your tragedy. She may have said she did back in the warehouse, but that was nothing. You were being cute and romantic. That bitch was just swept up in all of it. She despises you for leaving. For abandoning her and also your own child. The first chance she gets, she would kill you herself. Maybe even bastard number one over there would kill you."

"Y-You're...you're crazy."

"So are you."

He chuckled. "B-But I'm the gggood kind."

And just like that, another shot fired. Tenzin and the now recovered Lin stared at the bullet go through Yun's skull. The woman fell to the ground. The airbender found his best friend's eyes shut and all he could do was put an arm around her, knowing that she felt her heart stop. It must have been a sick feeling.

The two got up and rushed over to Satoru. He remained standing.

"Get y-your Mom away fffffrom the smoke."

Lin did as she was told and bent the entire platform with her mother on top to the side near everyone else. Afterwards, she grabbed hold of Satoru's only arm. "We gotta get you away from here too. Don't want you falling back in."

"It's ttttoo late...for m-me, Lin. I c-can't hold up fffor much longer."

She was persistent. "No. We can get you help. Katara will be able to help you. Kya will too."

"Please, just come with us." Tenzin added.

"Y-You're the...the boyfriend, huh?" Satoru smiled. "Take...t-take care of Lin, okay?"

"Sir-"

"Promise...p-promise me you w-will."

The airbender found tears forming in his eyes. In his lifetime, he had seen too many people die in one day. He realized what Satoru was asking of him. "I promise."

Satoru removed his arm from Lin's grasp and placed his hand on his shoulder. "Good m-man. JJJust like you're fffather."

"Aren't you listening? We're going to get you help. Stop talking like that." Lin looked at him mad. It made him smile big and wide.

"Y-You're definitely your motherssss daughter. E-Everything lllike herrr. That's g-good. Don't...don't be a c-coward lllike m-me."

"I'm not." She scowled harder.

"T-tell your sister that...that I-I would have lllloved her t-too."

Lin's eyes began to redden. "Tell her yourself damnit."

"Aaaand your M-Mom." He began to cough blood. It fell to his feet, but he pushed himself to continue. "Tell her...tell h-er I lleft. I-I walked away from a-another one. I'd rrrather h-her bbe mad at me than...th-than mourning. I'm d-definitely n-n-not worth it."

"No! Why should I lie about that? That's not right. She'll know."

"Sh-she won't fffforgive herself. I d-d-don't deserve h-her sadness." More blood. "P-Please?"

"No! You aren't going to die a coward. Far from it!" A single tear fell down her face. "You saved us."

"D-Do it ffffffor y-you're oldddd m-m-man, badgermole. Sh-she called you g-guys...that, right?"

Lin nodded.

"T-Told her ifffff we ever...ever had a k-kid, that's wha-what I'd call them."

The older of the Beifong sisters found her head pointing down. Tenzin didn't say a word at the tears falling to the ground from her eyes. Satoru made it worse and patted her on the head, like a good dad did.

The engineer cleared his throat. "I-I think th-they're getting up."

Lin and Tenzin turned around to find their family and siblings beginning to move.

Then everything went by too quick. Lin felt someone kiss the top of her head. She froze for a good three seconds, relishing the feeling. Then she spun around. Unfortunately, the only thing she saw was the blood stained ground where Satoru once stood and a single foot print moving back towards the smoking hole.

Tenzin caught Lin right before she could jump back into the hole. "It's too dangerous. Everything is probably coming down and there is too much smoke."

She turned into his chest and began pounding against it. "He was a good man, Tenzin. He was a good man."

"I know. I know."

In the distance were panicked voices. The two stayed put.

She continued to take her anger out on his chest. "I didn't even get to know him. He would have been a good dad. To me and Su "

He just answered every time. "Yes, he would have."

Finally, Lin stopped and weeped faced down into his lap. Tenzin bent down and hugged her as best he could.

"My dad was a good man."

"He was."

They stayed like that even when Aang and Sokka grabbed them and pulled them away from the hole.

They stayed like that when Katara harassed them, asking if they were injured.

They separated when they helped Katara treat Suyin's leg. Lin sobbed as she bent the metal bullet from her sister's leg while Tenzin held Suyin down. The young girl's screams made them cry harder.

They came back together again when the police arrived on the scene, staying in the same position as they rode back to the city on the police airship.

That night, Tenzin lulled Lin to sleep when she ran out of tears.

He hugged her through the night, keeping her from shaking.

For that very first day, Tenzin kept his promise.

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><p><strong>I think it's over. Well the action that is. One more chapter to wrap this arc up. Thanks for reading! Review, fav, follow. Do what you want (:<strong>


	22. Unintended Discoveries: Part 12

**Disclaimer: I don't own atla or lok.**

* * *

><p>Katara would kill her for wandering around at night. For decades, Toph really wasn't threatened by the water bender and never was to begin with. No matter what the master healer said about her legs, the chief of police wouldn't have anyone holding her back. She held on to the sides of the hallway and walked towards the back where she could exit to the training grounds. With more sweat and effort, the cold breeze hit Toph's face. Her ears picked up on the conversation in front of her.<p>

"But really, would you have treated me any different if I were blind?"

"Su, that is the stupidest question I've ever heard."

"Why?"

"Our mother is blind. Why would I act any different if you were too?"

The youngest Beifong shook her head. "I don't know. Maybe you'd be nicer to me. Probably feel bad and all that."

"Su, if there was one thing Mom taught us, it would be that she did not tolerate anyone giving her special treatment. If anything, she'd probably been harder on you if you stayed blind." Lin crossed her arms and looked out onto Yue Bay.

Suyin stared at her bandaged leg. "You think I had Mom's weird looking eyes?"

Toph fought the need to say something.

The oldest of the Beifong sisters shrugged. "Probably. You must have looked demonic as a baby the first time you opened your eyes."

Again, Toph restrained herself.

"They are sort of creepy." Suyin thought carefully. "She does that thing, I don't know how she does it, but she makes eye contact with you. The color of her eyes look so souless that it eats you inside. I hated it whenever I'd get in trouble."

"That's great to hear from my own daughters. I didn't just give birth to them or anything."

Lin and Su physically cringed and began scrambling. After several seconds, they remembered their mother was handicapped at the moment. Lin also realized her sister was in the same boat. Suyin had put her hurt leg on her lap at some point.

The youngest out of all of them smiled awkwardly. "Hi, Mom! I thought Aunt Katara said you're on bed rest?"

"So are you, genius. What time is it?" The chief of police slid down to the ground. She used her earthbending to slide herself towards her daughters. "It doesn't seem like day time."

Lin let her head rest in her hand. "Its about two o'clock in the morning."

"Couldn't sleep?"

The girls nodded and hummed in confirmation.

"Yeah, me neither."

It was about three days since the whole incident with Yun. After getting back to the island, Katara and Kya went into hyper drive and began healing everyone. The bullet wounds were cleaned and closed, bruises were gone, cuts were healed, burns seemed like they were never there, and broken bones were put back together. Lin was the only one with a bad head injury and had spent a large amount of healing away from everybody, for a lot of reasons. Tenzin was the only one that stayed with her for longer periods of time, anyone else that approached, she would use the excuse of a headache.

Toph had noticed that their first night back, Lin and Suyin would spend a couple of hours outside similar to right now. She refused to sleep until both of them were back in the house, explaining why the Beifongs were so drowsy during the day.

"What were you guys talking about?"

Lin rolled her eyes. "You know what we were talking about."

Toph frowned slightly. "Okay. Why were you guys talking about that?"

"Why did Yun want me, Mom?"

She should have seen the question coming, but her heart pounded nonetheless. Suyin was a smart girl, both Toph and Lin knew that. So it scared both of them that they didn't know if she was asking as a legit investigation or if she wanted to hear their mother tell her straight up. Toph didn't answer right away.

"When you were born, Katara didn't tell me that you were blind for two days." Toph chuckled lowly. "She was afraid that with the pregnancy hormones and my temper that I'd actually sink the island. I totally would have."

"Weren't you mad that she didn't tell you? I'd be."

"My anger was completely shadowed by the fact that I was worried."

Suyin leaned forward to listen properly. Lin eyed her sister from the side, but also waited for their mother to continue.

"I wouldn't have a problem if you stayed blind. I mean, that would make me a hypocrite. I was worried that you'd miss out on a lot of things. Things that Lin would be able to see."

Su didn't understand. "But you're blind, Mom. You seem pretty happy not being able to see."

Their mother sighed. "I was. Until you guys were born."

The sisters stayed quiet.

"Touching and feeling was never enough. It still isn't enough. I will never know what you guys look like. And I have nothing to compare descriptions to. Black hair. Green eyes. I don't know what any of that means."

"Appearances mean nothing. It doesn't tell you anything about a person." Lin scowled into the night air. "You aren't missing out."

Toph surprised her and pulled her backwards to lay her head on her lap. Lin fought the gesture at first, but she was pinched to stop. Afterwards, her mother began running her fingers across her face. "I am missing out on a lot, Lin. Your wavy hair, your green eyes, the shape of your nose, the color of your lips. Do people say you're beautiful?"

Lin's face contorted. "That's not important."

"And most of all, I'd like to see this famous scowl of yours. Suyin says it makes you look ugly."

The youngest of them chuckled, earning her a squeeze in her injured leg. Su yelped and begged. "Shit, Lin!"

"If Katara were here, she would clean your mouth with sea prunes."

Su gagged. "No thank you. So you want to know what we look like?"

"Everyday."

"That must have been the nicest thing that you have said to us in...I don't even know."

Lin just avoided eye contact with either of them. She remained laying on her mother's lap. A few drops of rain began coming down, but the three didn't make a single movement.

"You didn't answer my question, Mom." The youngest Beifong pressed on. "Why did Yun want me?"

The chief of police sighed several times. Lin watched as her mother struggled to open her mouth and speak. After everything that had happened, she would think that Toph would finally tell her own children the truth. If it were her, she would have blurted it out already, the guilt eating at her from the start. This is why she couldn't understand what her mother was protecting Su from. The oldest of the Beifong sisters could only assume that her mother, Republic City's chief of police, was capable of feelings and fear like the average human being.

So she saved her mother again. "She wanted me first. But Satoru convinced her otherwise. She was going to shape us into her protoge."

Her sister stared at her confused. "Why?"

"To get back at Mom and everyone for banishing her from the city."

"Why not Bumi, Kya, or Tenzin?"

"We're the strongest."

"Ohhhhhh."

There was a small tinge of worry at the back of Lin's mind concerning how easy it was to convince her. But she put it aside and thanked the spirits for how well it worked this time. "At least she left you with a parting gift. Without her, you wouldn't be able to see."

Toph felt her youngest daughter lay her head on her lap as well. Su's head touched Lin's and surprisingly the two girls didn't fight. The chief of police relished moments like this. "Should I be happy, Mom?"

Her hands combed through their hair as she answered. "Do you like your sight?"

"I don't know. I can't really compare it to anything."

"How about I blindfold you for a week and then you can answer your own question."

Suyin nodded her head.

The rain was pouring now. Their hair stuck to their faces and they had to occasionally spit out rain water. The Beifongs didn't move. Katara would really let them have it if she saw them right now. The conversation didn't continue for about a half hour. Both Toph and Lin had felt Su's heart slow, indicating she had fallen asleep.

"When was the last time she slept?"

Lin coughed gently and replied. "Hasn't since we came back. Says she relives the gunshot over and over."

"I don't get it."

"What?"

Her mother laid back, her head resting on her hands. "Yun wanted her so badly. But she still shot her. That lady is fucked up in the head."

"She wanted a family. Apparently you stole it."

She felt her mother flinch slightly. "I didn't steal anything from her. She's the one that messed things up with, Sokka. He doesn't want her and I don't blame him to be honest."

For some reason, Lin was feeling very brave that night. "Is that when you swept in and took your chance?"

Toph shot up and scowled. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"I'm not stupid, Mom." The oldest Beifong sister remained stoic. "And I don't blame you either. Uncle Sokka's been a great dad."

The chief of police released her built up anxiety and anger in a large sigh. She really didn't want to have the conversation, but she was glad it was with Lin. "We've been friends for a long time. He's my best friend and he didn't hesitate to help out with you two. I'm grateful for that. Would I ever say that to him? Of course not."

Again, Lin pushed the conversation further. "Then what's wrong with telling him the truth? Him and Su for that matter?"

"Because it wasn't supposed to happen." Toph checked if Su was still asleep by her heart beat before continuing. "I didn't want any obligations from him. It was selfish, but I'm capable of feelings too."

"Well, he wasn't obligated to take care of Su and I. He did it anyways."

"And I know that now. I remind myself everyday. But it's too late now. Su is already growing up, almost an adult. Sokka would never talk to me again if he found out I let him miss growing up properly with her. If you didn't know by now, Lin, your mom is a very selfish person."

"You could have at least let one of us have a dad " Lin turned s that she was staring at Suyin's forehead. As much as she had a reason to hate her, she couldn't. Su was her sister. If she turned out to be her mother's favorite, be able to be in presence of her father, and was free from responsibilities, Lin would live with that. As long as Su didn't mess things up, the way their family was right now, she would live with that. The dynamic wasn't perfect, but Lin knew that it worked. It worked for them. Lin remembered what she had said and added to it. "Even if it was Satoru, he would have loved both Su and I."

Toph swallowed hard. "You don't know that for sure."

"Yes I do."

"How?"

"He told me."

Once again, her mother sat up, but this time a little more slowly. There was less urgency, but Lin could feel the same anxiety run through her mother's heartbeat. "You talked to him? Like...after the explosion?"

"Just for a little bit." She hadn't noticed, but there were tears building up in her eyes. Lin thanked the rain for disguising her sorrow.

Toph flipped her bangs away from her face. "Did that idiot have stupid last words?"

Lin shut her eyes. "Yeah. He told me that he didn't deserve you."

"How cheesy." The chief of police shut her eyes while the rain dripped down her face.

"Yup. Then he left."

Toph just closed her eyes tighter. "W-What?"

Right as Lin was going to respond, she felt a drop of rain hit the side of her mouth. Her tongue involuntarily licked at it and her heart's steady rhythm broke at how salty the droplet tasted. That was it. Her lie was broken. She was sure her mother detected the change.

"He's gone again?" Toph sniffles.

Lin was shocked. "You believe me?" She cleared her throat and gained control. "I mean, because it just seems so unreasonable."

"He would, wouldn't he? He would do this."

"Yup, he just got up and left."

Then her mother let her temper flare. "What a son of a bitch!"

Suyin jolted up at once and began to hyperventilate. "Ah! Don't shoot me! Don't shoot me!"

Her older sister grabbed her and spoke quiet words. "Su, she isn't here. She's dead. No one is going to hurt you. You're safe."

The youngest of them all still had her eyes darting everywhere.

Toph engulfed the two of them. "Hey, we're fine. Everything is alright. No one is going to hurt us."

Lin felt their mother's words reverberate differently.

The three of them stayed that way and this time, when an hour passed, both Lin and Suyin had fallen asleep in their mother's arms. Their heads rested against Toph's stomach. At five in the morning, the chief of police was no where near sleep.

The conversation continued with one participant.

"Satoru, you are one mother fucker, you know that?"

The rain hadn't let up. Toph wiped her nose.

"You think that you could just comeback after pretending to be dead and think we can be friends again? These past years must have dumbed you down really bad."

She rid her face of any moisture from her eyes.

"I'm just glad Lin didn't inherit your degenerative intelligence. Then I would have been more pissed. Actually, that's a lie. I am more pissed."

Su twitched for a second.

"I can't believe you thought I didn't love you. How fucking rude. You had no one to compete with. The only thing that competed with you was myself. I was wrong to ignore my responsibilities as your wife, I get that. But faking death is cruel even by that standard."

Lin shifted closer to Su.

"When I found out you didn't die, I destroyed the station, you know that? Lin was only one year old and I was telling her the great man that you were. Then you started sending me letters, again a stupid idea. You never came back to apologize in person. Not once. You better believe how much I trash talked you standing by Lin's crib after that."

Her bangs were once again covering her face.

"But I moved on. And ironically, Sokka was there for me. So don't even think you could scold me now if you were here. He took care of what was supposed to be your family. Even added to it. He went above and beyond, something I thought you could do for me. The only thing you did for me was make me scared. All those times you accused me of cheating, I finally believed that Sokka would never love me like that. It was your voice, Sat. Your annoying voice."

It was still fairly dark.

"But I kept going. I went on to raise my girls. Things may not be perfect, but I couldn't ask for anything better. And sixteen years later, you decide to show up? Really? And not only that, but you bring that Yun shit back with you? Yes, I know in reality it was coincidence, but I'm just going to blame everything on you, asshole."

Her long hair was soaked.

"I'm not gonna lie, I liked having you back. Bouncing the insults back and forth. Your nerd talk. The way you cared. I was almost convinced that you wanted to make things right. And then you said you loved me. On the brink of death, I know you had that stupid grin on your face and you said you loved me. If you weren't holding a gun in your hand, I would have smacked you across the face."

The rain fused with the tears now coming down her face.

"You are such an idiot. You don't say that when you're about to die. You don't leave people hanging like that, stupid. I was all speechless and scared and you know I hate being like that, so why did you put me in that position? I just really want to punch you in the face."

She may have heard thunder, she wasn't paying a lot of attention to the weather.

"Everything was hazy for me after that. But you told Lin you would have loved Su too. Are you fucking kidding me, Sat? How much more do you honestly think I can take?"

Toph was shivering now.

"Badgermoles. You would have been good to them. You always were the nicest one between the two of us. You like to do that thing where you spare people's feelings, to avoid them from being sad."

Her hands covered her face.

"Which is why I am so unbelievably pissed at you right now. You and Lin were always good liars."

A sob caught in her throat.

"But not good enough."

The chief of police eventually fell asleep. When Katara, Aang, and Sokka found them the next morning, Toph was slumped over her girls.

Closer inspection revealed not only one tear stained face, but two others as well.

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><p><strong>Ladies and gentlemen that is the end of this arc. I don't even have an explanation for this chapter. Thanks for reading! Tell me how I did!<strong>


	23. The Final Straw: Part 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own atla or lok**

* * *

><p>Lin passed the door for the fiftieth time carrying a box. She rolled her eyes at her sister.<p>

"Are you going to continue leaning against the door frame or are you actually going to help me?"

Suyin had her eyes closed, yet was still frowning. "I didn't offer to help at all."

The oldest of the two nudged her when she walked back through. "Then at least stop being an obstacle. Get out of the way if you aren't going to do anything."

The fifteen year old crossed her arms and walked to the living room. Her body dropped onto the couch. The person next to her just snored.

Lin entered the room with yet another box. When she spotted her mother in slumber, she dropped the heavy box on purpose. Toph jolted up and kicked a pillar of earth through the ground destroying the coffee table in two. Suyin rolled her eyes and looked out the window.

"What? What? What's going on?"

The seventeen year old in the room put her hands on her hips. "I swear to Oma, you guys really want me out of here, don't you? Don't even bother to help me."

The chief of police rubbed the rest of the sleep from her eyes. "Give me a break, Lin. I worked a graveyard shift."

"I know that, Mom. I was there. You don't see me struggling."

"That's cause you aren't old like I am."

"Mom, you're like fifty something. Suck it up."

Toph intended to put her feet on the table but was met with disappointment as her heels fell to the ground. She yelped. "Ahh! Splinter!"

The oldest of the Beifong sister's raised her hands and returned to getting her belongings out of her room. On the other side of the couch, Su was scowling at her mother. What she didn't expect was Toph to kick her in the stomach with her stabbed foot.

"What the hell, Mom!?"

"Get it out." Toph kept pushing her foot into her daughter's abdomen. "This is equivalent to you getting your eyes getting stabbed out. Relieve me from this misery."

Suyin quickly searched her mother's foot and didn't hesitate to violently pull the sliver of wood from her foot. The teenager pushed her mother's limb away from her. "There. Stop complaining."

"Thanks, dear." The chief of police let the sarcasm seep out of her response.

Lin once again walked in and set one final box atop the others. "Everything is out. You could do whatever you want with that room."

"I'm thinking a steam room. For those tough missions. What do you think?"

Her oldest daughter payed no attention to the nonsense. "Tenzin should be coming soon to help me move this stuff to my apartment. I'll go make dinner."

Toph laughed. "Last family dinner? Is that what this is gonna be?"

Lin yelled from the kitchen. "No. I just know you aren't going to cook. Plus pout master over there doesn't seem in the mood to do it herself."

Suyin growled. "I could have cooked."

"Yeah, I could really feel your motivation." The sound of the stove being turned on overlapped the reply.

"I'm not useless, you know. I can take care of myself."

A sign of recognition crossed their mother's face. "Is this what Katara and I sounded like?"

Lin popped her head into the room. "Su, it's great and all that you believe in yourself and all that, but we all know you wouldn't be alive if it were just Mom raising you."

Their mother's disapproval was overlooked. Su focused more on the fight between her sister. "You telling me what to do every second of the day doesn't mean you're any better at being a parent than Mom."

Once again, they ignored their mother. "Alright then. I guess you must be lucky that I'm leaving now. But I'm only leaving this house, Su. I'm still going to be out there." Lin walked back to what she was cooking, but continued to talk. "You should be glad. Having someone looking out for you is a luxory."

"Looking out for me?" Suyin laughed sarcastically. "More like spying and stalking on me."

"Alright, that's enough. You two are acting like morons."

The two sisters frowned respectively to themselves.

Toph cleared her throat and placed her hands on her knees. "What was the very first rule I gave you guys when you were kids?"

"Don't get caught."

Her mother made a noise indicating Su's answer was wrong. "Nope."

"Don't destroy the house." Lin yelled though the walls.

"No!" The current chief of police crossed her arm frustrated. Running on zero hours of sleep wasn't helping. "I told both of you that the only rule in this house was to look out for each other. I don't give a rat's ass if half the city is destroyed or the world is ending, as long as you guys are watching each other's backs that's all I ask for. I know we aren't one of those tight knit families that does everything together for obvious reasons-"

"Who's fault is that..." The Beifong girls said in sync.

"ANYWAYS, point is, we watch out for each other. You got that?"

She was met with silence.

"Got that?"

The doorbell rang and Suyin got up quickly to escape their current conversation. She was met with her sister's boyfriend. The master airbender towered over her and looked at her with a warm expression. "Hello, Suyin." His eyes fell upon the mess in the room. "Is that the table?"

"Don't ask. Lin's stuff is right there." She pointed at the hoard of boxes blocking part of the hallway.

"Mind helping me?"

The younger Beifong took a couple of seconds to think about the offer. She breathed in deeply and exhaled. "Fine."

From the kitchen, Lin yelled. "Really? When he asks, you're gonna do it?"

Suyin was already grabbing boxes and walking out the door. Tenzin patted her on the head and followed her action. He greeted Toph as well. "Hello, Aunt Toph. My mother asks why you keep ignoring her calls."

"It's called work. You do it. Lin does it. She does it occasionally at the hospital. Doesn't take a brainiac to figure that out." Toph got up and began helping as well. Lin responded angrily again, but her fury was ignored. Tenzin and Toph walked out the door. "I'll call her to stop her nagging."

The eighteen year old chuckled. "It's not nagging. It's just she wants to catch up."

Suyin jumped from Oogi and grabbed the boxes in bot Toph and Tenzin's hands. She wordlessly, began climbing up the bison's tail. Tenzin watched her while Toph crossed her arms.

"How's Su taking it? Lin moving out?"

The chief of police sighed. "I've noticed she's gotten more irritable as the day came closer. The two are fighting every minute rather than every hour."

Tenzin put a hand on his aunt's shoulder. "When Bumi and Kya moved out of the house, my parents were a mess." The memory played back in his mind. "Mom would put stuff away that had already been packed up so that they would keep packing. Dad was blubbering like a baby."

"Yeah, well that's your family, kid." Her face remained expressionless. "Around here we don't show feelings. It hinders our abilities."

"That doesn't sound very healthy."

"Just believe in the system, Twinkle Toes Jr." The master earthbender decided she would get more boxes. She didn't leave Tenzin without some final words. "It's what I've been trying to do since they were born."

* * *

><p>Suyin ran as fast as she could. It didn't help that the alley way was getting smaller and smaller. She looked back and found the shadows still chasing after her.<p>

"Get back here, bitch!"

She tripped but pushed herself up and ran. Her eyes spotted the wall approaching. Suyin had to think of something fast.

"The boss don't like traitors! You're dead!"

Faster and faster she ran. Her right hand held the sack that jingled with gems and jewels. Just a little further.

"You can't run forever!"

Su didn't hear the threat as she had already fallen into a hole she had opened in the ground. She fell hard onto the sewer floors. Her ankle gave out, but she pushed herself to close the hole above her. She was left in darkness, lying in a pool of dirty water.

Her eyes closed and she clenched her fist. The bag she had been carrying earlier had half of its contents out. The young Beifong stayed like that for awhile. After about ten minutes, Suyin made her journey home with a limp and the sack under her arm.

She expected someone to call her from the other room, but the house was dark when she entered. Su just scoffed. Of course there wasn't anyone home anymore.

Opposite to what people would think, her room was actually very neat. However, her exhaustion got the better of her and Suyin just threw the bag on her desk and locked her bedroom door. She wanted to sleep, but her mind was not ready. So instead, she stared up at the ceiling.

It was quiet at 3:21 in the morning. And it stayed that way until the front door opened at 5. Her eyes were still stuck on the ceiling and she listened to her mother make her way to her own bedroom.

At 7:30, Su finally felt the drowsiness. Ironically, this was when she should be getting up for school. She tossed that thought aside. She turned to her right and whispered something before falling asleep.

"What have I gotten myself into?"

* * *

><p><strong>Alright! This is the start of the last arc of this story. This chapter is fairly short, but think of it as a little prequel till we get to the serious stuff. Are you guys ready? Haha thanks for reading you guys!<strong>


	24. The Final Straw: Part 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own atla or lok**

* * *

><p>"Su, get up!"<p>

She jolted awake. Her vision was blurry as she tried to get a sense of what was going on at the moment. Suyin wiped a hand over her face to rid herself of her drowsiness.

Banging came on her door. "I know you're sleeping in there. Get up. You were supposed to be in school two hours ago."

She couldn't help the groan that escaped her mouth. It wasn't a well thought out move as the person on the other side of the door received confirmation that she was there.

"Su!"

That's when she decided to angrily get up And throw her bedroom door open. In front of her with her deep scowl was her sister.

Suyin crossed her arms. "You don't live here anymore."

Lin looked down at her younger sibling annoyed. "And your point?"

"You can't boss me around. Stop being such a drag and go be a police officer like you wanted."

The older Beifong only deepened her rigid features. "It's called being responsible which you obviously suck at. You've skipped school three times this week. What are you doing?"

"That's none of your concern. Will you just go away?"

"Sometimes I wonder if you'll ever be able to make it on your own. You waste your life away with these stupid games when you could be applying yourself. Mom would be disappointed."

The young girl scoffed. "Yeah right. She wouldn't care. She doesn't care."

Lin wa getting frustrated. "Just dress your ass up. I'll even take you to school."

"I don't want to go!"

"If you don't, I'll follow you around today." She crossed her arms. "I know I'll be able to arrest you for something. Then you can spend the day in jail. Does that sound more appealing?"

Suyin was frowning hard.

"Your choice, Su."

Lin walked away leaving her steaming in the door way. The older Beifong only smirked when she felt the door slam and Suyin beginning to get ready for the day.

* * *

><p>She said she was going to school. She didn't say she was going to classes.<p>

Presently, Suyin sat in the very corner of the library. It was her favorite spot and the librarian had given up in trying to get her to class. The older woman had figured if a student was going to skip class, at least it was in a library. Even Su hadn't realized that she had read half the shelf that she usually slept against.

That section just so happened to be fiction stories.

On her lap was an open book while her head leaned against the book shelf. She was still tired from last night.

"Excuse me."

The book bounced off her thighs as she woke up in an instant. Her head turned from side to side until she met eyes with a boy.

Suyin gave him a look of indifference. "Can I help you?"

He began pointing. "Would you mind if grabbed a book behind your head?"

"Whatever." She scooted over and the boy went to do his thing. Su observed his features. He wasn't big, but it was obvious he had a bit of muscle. His black hair was pushed to one side and his glasses made his green eyes look bigger. The way he moved was awkward and with the least amount of confidence she has ever seen. All in all, Suyin concluded he was a dork.

"You thinking of becoming a pirate?"

One again, she was startled. She answered him annoyed. "What a random thing to say."

"Not really." The boy picked up her book that was face down on the ground. He held it out for her to take. "I just noticed that you were reading a story about pirates is all."

Suyin quirked an eyebrow. "It's just a story. I'm pretty sure pirates don't roam the seas anymore."

"On the contrary, the papers say that there are still some that sail around the fire nation. My theory is that some of them are Ozai loyalists."

"You're a geek, you know that?"

He blushed hard all of a sudden and Su fought the urge to roll her eyes. "Oh, well I just read a lot. That's all."

"So do I." Her arms crossed atop her chest. "But you don't see me spewing out information."

That's when his face changed. Suyin noticed and was curious to what he was about to say.

"You're very sarcastic. Blunt. Not too friendly."

"I'd really rethink what you are saying right now before I sock you across the face."

He sat down next to her and continued talking. "You skip class, but decide to do it in the library. You could be anywhere else, yet you stay on school grounds. Why is that?"

"It's none of you business that's what."

"Unless someone has a reason to look for you. Like those two in the window."

Suyin turned her head and she paled slightly at the sight of the two boys staring at her. They weren't dressed for school, their clothes roughed up and torn in a couple places. No, these boys were part of a triad.

And they didn't look all too happy.

One of the boys gestured for her to come outside.

"Did you do something wrong?"

She ignored the clueless boy's question and instead asked him something. "Are you a fast runner?"

"Not really considering I picked the library rather than gym."

"Too bad."

In a second, Suyin hopped up off the floor and grabbed the boy's hand. With a tug, she began pulling him through the library, weaving their way through the shelves. The librarian gave up and yelled at them when they ran out the doors noisily.

Suyin halted once they got outside. Looking left and right, she jumped at the sight of the two triad boys spotting her from the left. Suyin pulled on the boy and they ran in the opposite direction. They rounded several corners before stopping and standing flat against the wall. She used her feet to monitor the boys' location.

Next to Su, the boy was breathing heavily. "So people are looking for you."

"What can I say. I'm famous." She retorted.

"Why is that?"

Her shoulders shrugged "Some people don't like me for some things I've done."

He pushed his glasses up. "What's your name?"

"Su. Su is fine."

"I see."

"And you?" She picked up the boys and realized they were on their trail.

"Bataar."

* * *

><p>Every time she looked back at Bataar, he continued to look at her like she was dumb. "What?"<p>

"We ran off school grounds to hide in the city's public library? Really?"

"Yeah, your point?"

"Who else is looking for you?"

Suyin was starting to get annoyed by the smart ass attitude of this boy. "Has anyone ever told you that you're nosy?"

"It's actually just the ability of deductive reasoning. It's a more appropriate term."

She groaned. "Oma, do you ever stop?"

"Tell me who's looking for you and I will."

The young Beifong crossed her arms and looked away. "Those boys are part of a triad. Their boss has some beef with me."

Bataar pushed his glasses up and put his elbows on the table. "What did you do?"

The way he had said it this time seemed less like he wanted to pry. Suyin contemplated if her ears were tricking her with the care in his voice. "That's none of your concern."

"Let's trade. I'll tell you a little bit about myself if you tell me."

"That doesn't seem like a fair trade. You're just going to tell me something stupid like your favorite color."

"I left my parent's estate to escape an arranged marriage."

She flinched. That was something she definitely wasn't expecting. Her eyes changed into curiosity, especially since he answered with a smile on his face. "Why is that? I didn't even know they still did arranged marriages."

He waves his hand back and forth. "Let's just say I come from a privelaged family. They like to keep traditions alive. Like that one."

"You're rich?"

"Not anymore." He laughed. "Now I just roam around looking for something interesting."

She leaned back in her chair. "And you were in a school library of all places?"

"Streets are crawling with police. They'll just throw me back into one for being out during school hours."

She just nodded in understanding.

They sat in silence for several moments before Bataar continued conversation. "So what about you? Why are you connected to a triad?"

Su hesitated before answering. She channeled her mother and set her feet on the table. Her hands went behind her head. "I was looking for some excitement and decided to so some jobs for the triad. I guess I was doing so well that the boss wanted me to become his right hand woman if you know what I mean. I want out, but they won't leave me alone. I guess I'm their best person."

He looked at her confused. "You don't seem like someone who would get involved with triads for no reason. You poor? Needed some money?"

"The opposite actually. Mom and big sis are part of the police force. Plus we were rich to begin with."

"Alright. So money isn't a problem. Needed a hobby and took up criminal activity?"

Suyin breathed heavily. "Yeah. Just bored I guess."

Bataar got straight to the point. "You hated it the first time didn't you?"

She put her feet down and listened carefully to his heartbeat. He was...actually interested. At that moment, she didn't know what came over her, but she buried her head in her arms upon the table.

Bataar stayed with her.

* * *

><p>"Why don't you just leave the triads? Actually, why don't you just tell your mom or sister?"<p>

Suyin just laughed sarcastically. "Yeah. That's going to slide well. The triad wouldn't be after just my ass, they would be after Mom's and Lin's. They already have people after them all the time."

Bataar smiled. "Wow. And I was worried that you hated your family. But you really do love them."

"I'm just saving them trouble. That's all."

"Whatever you say. I can see right through your personality." Bataar routinely pushes his glasses towards his face.

Suyin couldn't help but smirk slightly. "You are such a dork."

"Yes, but at least I'm open about it. I'm sure I can be just as stubborn and sarcastic like you, but that isn't fun." He tripped over a crack in the road. She laughed at him. Bataar just got flushed.

The two were currently walking through the market district of Republic City. With the crowds helping to cover them, they wouldn't be so easily found.

"How old are you?"

Bataar scratched his head. "I'm seventeen."

Suyin rolled her eyes. "Just like my sister. You wouldn't like her."

"Why is that?"

"Multiply my stubborn characteristics by a hundred and you've got Lin."

Bataar actually widened his eyes. "Yikes. I don't think we'd get along. How old are you?"

"Fifteen." She didn't know what caused her to say the rest. "I'm turning sixteen in about a week."

He smiled. "That's neat. The big one six. That's exciting."

"Not really. I'm just going to have some stupid family dinner like always. I'd rather travel somewhere like the fire nation or maybe Ba Sing Se."

She was shocked when Bataar began ranting. "Oh man! The train system in Ba Sing Se is phenomenonal. If they installed tracks towards the city, travel could probably be way easier. Also, the architecture is a master piece in the upper ring. The palace is quite the marvel may I say. The earth queen may not know politics, but she certainly has a taste for art. She's always constructing new buildings. I don't know who her architect is, but I'd sure love to meet him or her."

Suyin stared back at him. He suddenly became in embarrassed.

"I didn't mean to ramble."

Her frown turned into a smile. "Dork."

Bataar shook his head. "I'm not escaping that nickname, am I?"

"Nope."

"I thought so." He just sighed. "So what are you gonna do? You can't just keep walking around forever."

She waved the concern off. "I'll be fine. They don't know where I live. I'll just...talk to them tonight."

"Oh I'd definitely advise against that."

She stopped. "Why?"

He gave her a look that accuses her of being stupid. "They aren't happy with you and you're going to meet then in the dead of night? That's the most idiotic plan I've ever heard."

"How about you worry about yourself. I've got this."

Bataar just got angry. "No you don't. You don't even have a plan and you are just winging it."

"I'll be fine."

"No you won't."

"Jeez, leave me alone."

"I'm just trying to help you."

"Than do that by leaving me alone!"

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

The two turned away from each other and intended to walk away. They for about twenty feet from each other but instead ran into two particular people.

Suyin swallowed at the sight of the boys along with their boss in front of her.

Meanwhile, Bataar was face to face with an officer.

Officer Lin Beifong.

* * *

><p><strong>Since this story doesn't follow canon exactly. I decided to make it a bit more interesting. Also, if you guys could disregard the errors in the ages of Lin and Su. I started this story before we found out they were six years apart. So bare with me. Haha I'd appreciate it. Thanks for reading you guys!<strong>


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